A Charmed Story 12: A Halliwell Christmas Carol
by crazyDFFgang
Summary: Just a little bit about spirits, angels and a Halliwell Christmas. !COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

(Note #1: We completely re-did our profile. Please have a look on it!)

(Note #2: You may wonder why we upload a Christmas Story in June. Well, when we wrote this, we were uploading chapters weekly, and this story was supposed to have it's last chapter post short before Christmas 2007. But since we switched to upload chapters only every 2 weeks we blew up or time plan. Still there is no other way then to post this story now, because well... Story 12 has to follow after Story 11. _shrug_But we decided that we want to end this sequel in December at least. Therefore the first chapters will post not every 2 but 3 weeks, so that we can end this story before Christmas instead of November. _wink_We hope that this is ok for you. If not feel free to complain within a review. maybe you can change our mind.)

**A Charmed Story - Part Twelve:  
A Halliwell Christmas Carol  
Chapter 1**

Global warming. That was the root of everything. Why were the summers hotter every year? Global warming. Why were the springs so dry? Global warming. And why did it rain in the weirdest time of the year?? Of course, global warming. And why the hell was it now snowing in San Francisco? That was the result of the damn global warming!  
"It seems we're gonna have white Christmas!" Bianca exclaimed happily as she skipped more than walked by Chris along the main street of the town. She was wrapped up in a huge coat and covered with all the useful elements made to protect the human being from the cold winters in Siberia. Pink and green hat and gloves and scarf. 'Hiding her little face and only showing her beautiful eyes,' Chris thought as he walked quickly, blue with cold, wrapped up in a black jacket and black and grey complements, his hands in his pockets.  
However nice his thoughts about Bianca were, his thoughts about the weather spoilt everything else. He grumbled. He hated snow, and cold. He hated being that cold! He had been born in San Francisco, for God's Sake! There it was not supposed to be like that. Snow! Was that a joke from up there? It was not just a thin layer, no... It was like four inches of snow!! "Yeah, great..." he mumbled, annoyed, as he went on treading the white element under his feet.  
Bianca chuckled and hung her entire body on his arm, affectionately, as she kept on walking by his side. "Come on, Chris... What is Christmas without snow? Lights, presents, carols, Christmas movies, people doing nice things, Santa and Rudolf and... Snow! This is like a gift! Smile, Chris, and enjoy it!"  
The streets were full of people walking in all directions bearing huge boxes and bags with packages wrapped in beautiful and colorful papers. All the shops were lightened, and there were little dwarves, elves and Santas at their entries, ringing bells and singing carols. Harmony and happiness seemed to fill the city.  
At that moment, Chris turned to answer something, but he tripped with a piece of ice, and then slipped with the melting snow in one of the kerbs, falling on the ground, and groaning, more annoyed than in pain. Bianca had not let him go, and therefore, she fell with him; over him, actually, chuckling soundly.  
"I don't now why this is so funny!" protested Chris, trying to stand up.  
Someone came to help them. "Are you ok?" the man asked.  
Chris nodded and grumbled again: "Yeah, thanks." But then he fell again, and his hat fell off his head. "Shoot!" he exclaimed, hearing how Bianca, who was still on the ground, laughed heartily now.  
The man shrugged and went on his way, seeing that things seemed to be under control, somehow.  
Bianca took the hat before Chris could, and put it on his head unceremoniously. "You see?? This is one of the funniest things that snow has!" she said between laugh and laugh.  
Chris put on his hat in the proper way and mumbled: "Yeah, sure..." But then his eyes crossed Bianca's, who could not stop laughing, and he himself ended up smiling and shaking his head. "Ok, you win. This was funny... Any idea of how to get up again?? I am freezing, I'd love to buy those presents for the kids, and then go back and have a great hot shower."  
Bianca smiled cockily and approached her face to his, without standing up. Then she whispered: "Well, don't know how to give you warm water but I know how to warm you up a little, honey..." And she kissed him softly in his lips.  
Chris smiled again and gave her back the kiss, passionately, ignoring how the people walking in the streets stopped and looked at them. They didn't mind at all.

& & & & &

"WYAAAT!" Piper yelled, desperately, with a needle in her hand and thread in the other one, looking at the ceiling. Paige chuckled and shook her head. "Dad is coming and he's gonna be angry because you're not ready, and then, Santa is not gonna bring you anything!!"  
"Piper, I understand the poor little kid. That disguise is... well... how to say it... kinda interesting," Paige said, seeing how Piper turned to her angry.  
"Well, it is, but this is his disguise for the play in the magic school, which is in a couple of hours and Wyatt has the main role, so... Please, stop looking at me and orb after my son and bring him back!"  
Paige raised her hands defensively: "Ok, ok... I'll go. But Wyatt is not going to forgive you this in his entire life!" And then she orbed looking for Wyatt, who had orbed before trying to hide from his mother for the third time.  
Piper sighed and sat down tiredly. Little Chris and Hope moaned in their sleep, and she moved their cradles a little bit, but they kept on sleeping. "Good kids, you too. Wyatt should learn from you, huh??" she mumbled, staring pleased at them.

& & & & &

The store was huge, but there was a mass of people inside. Chris looked over the heads in front of him, as Bianca sighed, hanging from his arm and out of any sight behind all those tall people. The line was so long!! And Chris looked kind of desperate.  
"Nothing," he sighed, relaxing when he felt defeated. "There must be like 10 of those toys and fifty people to probably get them. I wish I could orb!"  
Bianca elbowed him in his waist, and he bent a bit over himself as he laughed: "Watch your tongue, Chris!"  
"I can barely hear you, Bianca! No one is gonna hear this," he whispered to her ear.  
"Just in case," she said resolute, looking at the front. Chris smiled, but said nothing back. "Ok, I am gonna try something. You just stay here in the line," added Bianca after being thoughtful for some seconds.  
Chris frowned: "But..."  
But she had already let go off his arm and left. Chris observed her and then shook his head and sighed, skipping a little bit to see how many boxes were left. "Eight... Great," he murmured.  
Suddenly, he heard a little cry and then felt a small hand pulling at his jacket. He looked down, surprised, just to meet the eyes of a little girl, around her six or seven. She had long dark hair and her blue eyes were full of tears.  
"Sir..." she said once and again, pulling at his jacket, and sobbing at the same time. Chris glanced at the line for a second and then turned to her. "Seven, only seven left..." he said to himself, squatting a little bit to be as tall as her: "Why are you crying sweetie? Are you lost??" he asked, caressing her hair lovingly, and smiling comfortingly at her. She nodded and sobbed again.  
Chris looked around: "And your mom was here, in the store??" She nodded again. Then he pressed her cheek between his fingers: "Ok, we're gonna talk to the security guard and find..."  
"No..." she sobbed, pulling at him again.  
Chris stared at her surprised and frowned: "Well, they will find her more easily than me... I..."  
"No..." the girl shook her head again, peremptorily. "Mom always says that you can help me when I am in trouble, that I must look for you and call you."  
"ME??" Now Chris was shocked. He looked around, searching for Bianca and her help with his eyes. But she was nowhere to be seen. "Listen..." he looked to her neck. There was a pendant there with her name, probably: "Listen, Annie. You must be wrong. You don't know me, I..." he didn't know how to explain that, without hurting her, but he needed to find that guard and her mother, and then the toy for Wyatt as soon as possible. And if he left now, Bianca was gonna be too worried.  
"I am not wrong, I know who you are."  
Chris was standing up and about to take her little hand, when he heard that and looked at her, confused: "You know who I am?? And... Who am I?" he asked back, fearing that the Cleaners hadn't done their job well.  
"You're my guardian angel," the girl said very confidently, cleaning her tears with her sleeve.  
Chris's jaw dropped at that, and he felt her hand pressing his even stronger than before. "I am not... a guardian angel," he said. Well, he wasn't, not exactly... And he was starting to feel that he was stepping on dangerous ground...  
But Annie went on: "You are. You are a guardian angel. I can see it, the colors around you. Dad taught me to see them."  
"Colors?? Ok, we're gonna find your mom and..." Chris said nervously, starting to walk. What was she talking about?  
"Annie!! Oh, my God, thanks God you're here..." a woman had knelt down by her and was hugging her. Annie let go off his hand, but Chris didn't move, still shocked. "Thanks sir... I don't know... don't know what happened. I never lose her, I..."  
"It's ok." He smiled. "She's fine. And this is a toy store, the best place to get lost, isn't it, Annie?" he said, stroking her hair.  
Her mother smiled, but the girl cut her off: "He's my guardian angel, mom. I found him, as dad said. I saw his colors, don't you see them??"  
Chris frowned again and looked at the woman, in search for an explanation, but she just put her daughter the hat on and smiled at Chris embarrassed: "She's just... just a girl... I am sorry..."  
Chris nodded, surprised: "It's fine... Don't worry."  
The woman smiled again and took Annie with her, saying goodbye. Chris stayed back, staring at them, very shocked and pensive, and then Annie turned smiling and waved at him. He answered back, and kept staring at her.  
"Great, Chris! I leave you for a while alone, taking care of the line, and you lose the line and the toys!!"  
Chris turned to find Bianca behind him, and no more toys on the shelves. But she waved a box in front of his eyes triumphantly: "Thank that I am here to solve everything!"  
"How did you...?" Chris started, but she put a finger on his lips.  
"It's my secret..." she winked. Then turned to go to the counter and pay. Chris sighed and looked back, but the mother and the girl had already disappeared among the crowd. Colors... Angels... That had been weird. Then he followed Bianca.

& & & & &

As soon as Phoebe came home from work she took off her coat and boots and entered the living room. Piper was still trying to get her son's costume fixed. The empath smiled enthusiastically: "Oh my little nephew will be sooooooo cute as the snowman!"  
Paige looked at her sister and then shook her head about her bahavior. It was like Phoebe was a little hyperactive... She reminded her of a busy elf from a Christmas tale and that thought made Paige smile. "Hopefully he won't forget his text again..." she then said, turning back to Piper smiling.  
"PAIGE!" Piper exclaimed annoyed. How could she dare to doubt her son's abilities in acting.  
"He has two lines to say in that five-minute kindergarten play... I think he will do it perfectly," Phoebe replied and smiled proudly at the little boy who was now wrapped in some fluffy white fabric.  
Piper looked at her youngest sister and smiled: "See... that's how an aunt should behave!"  
"Where is Cole?" Phoebe than asked.  
"Attic" the other two replied at the same time, while Wyatt used the distraction to orb away again. Phoebe nodded grinning and went upstairs, while Piper looked demanding at Paige who immediately followed the boy.

& & & & &

When Phoebe reached the attic she found her husband standing in front of the shelf with the magical ingredients, a book in one hand and some celeriac in the other. Then he turned back to the table where she noticed some parsley and lots of mustard seeds. Curious she went closer.  
"What are you doing here, do you want to beat Piper in making the best sauce for the turkey??"  
Cole turned around startled, then he placed the book and celeriac on the table to hug his wife. "Welcome back," he said before he kissed her lovingly.  
Phoebe smiled at his lips. "Oh how I missed that, but..." she was still curious, "that doesn't answer my question."  
Cole grinned: "No... actually I'm preparing myself for my new job."  
"You what? I thought you wanted to work as lawyer again?"  
He nodded still looking deep in her eyes. Smiling he rubbed his nose to hers then he said: "Yeah, I will... but our nephew asked me to teach a new subject at the school..."  
"An new one? Another new one?" Phoebe said kind of shocked. Since Chris had taken over the control there, he had put lots of new classes on the plan, from casual math (so that the kids didn't only learn magic there) to martial arts/self defending. "What's it this time?"  
Cole smiled even more: "Potion-making with..."  
"Potion-making? We already have that!" she interrupted him.  
He shook his head: "Potion-making with casual ingredients... No spider-legs or fairy-wings... Just what you can find in nature... or the kitchen..."  
Phoebe looked at him with wide eyes. "Oh..." she muttered. Then she turned to the table: "And what will this be for? Celeriac, parsley and mustard??" It was a weird combination.  
Now Cole grinned mischievous: "That my dear, will be a love potion!"  
Phoebe's head shot around to him again. Frowning she asked: "Are you kiddin'?"  
"I'm not... see how important that class is?" he said smiling and pulled her in his arms again, kissing her.

& & & & &

Victor was humming 'Rudolf the Red-nosed Raindeer' while he packed the last stuff in his bag. He had never been so excited about Christmas since countless years... the last time he had felt like that, was the last Christmas they had spent as family, before he and Patty got divorced.  
But this year would be even better, he was sure about that. His family had invited him to come over for the whole week, to stay there at the new built guestroom... to spent Christmas with all of them and also New Years Eve.  
He couldn't wait to see the kids again. They surly had grown a lot since he saw them the last time nearly a month ago. And he was really excited about that school play where Wyatt would be the snowman.  
He couldn't wait that Chris and Bianca would come to pick him up. They said they would do that on their way back from the shopping... Victor smiled. Last minute shopping... He himself had bought the gifts for them over two weeks ago...  
He had heard in the news that it had snowed in San Francisco, and that the meteorologists were expecting more snow the next days, even in LA. "That will be a wonderful Christmas," he said to himself as he closed the bag and sat down on his sofa. Now all he had left to do, was wait...

& & & & &

"Silas... What are you doing?" Yuri's amused voice startled him a little bit, making him lose his balance and fall from the ladders where he was standing while he had put some ornaments on a huge tree in the middle of the main meeting lounge of the Elder world. Yuri took her hands to her mouth, fearing he would hurt himself, but Silas, who had covered his head with his arms, orbed just in time not to hit the floor. Second later he reappeared lying on it, and sighed.  
"Don't... Just, don't do that again... Please," he begged, trying to stand up, still trembling because of the sudden fall.  
Yuri burst into laughter and went to him to help him stand. "I am so sorry, Silas! I could not help it when I saw you putting all those... lights and Santas and red cherries in here... This is the first time I see this place so... 'Christmassy'."  
"And don't you like it?" Silas asked innocently, once he was up again, as he dusted his long white and golden robe. The entire day he had been thinking about how to ornate the place so that everyone liked it up there, modern Elders as much as conservatives.  
"Yes..." she murmured as she took a look around herself, amused. "It's... interesting."  
At that moment, when Silas was going to answer, Odin appeared in the room carrying a pile of packets: "Silas, please, could you help me here with this??"  
"Yeah, sure, I am..." Silas rushed to his friend, ignoring Yuri for a second, who was staring at them amazed.  
"You, too?" she exclaimed. "Oh, my God, is it Christmas spirit, that came here and enchanted you all??"  
At that, Odin and Silas, who were leaving the packets under the beautiful tree, started to laugh out loud: "It was the Halliwell spirit, actually: Father and son. They had this great idea. You know Chris..."  
"Yes, yes, yes..." Yuri sighed, smiling: "We need more life here."  
"Aha," the two Elders answered at the same time.  
"So... I guess we just need a Santa!" Yuri exclaimed, approaching them in order to help.  
Then, Odin half smiled and look at Silas, who nodded: "Actually..."

& & & & &

"Ho, ho, ho!! Ho, ho, ho!! Ho, ho, ho!!"  
Leo rolled his eyes and John laughed heartily. "Jeremiah is completely IN the role," he commented while he helped Leo with the decoration of the magic school for the play. The above-mentioned Elder was walking from one corner to the other, ringing a bell and caressing the long white beard he was now wearing.  
Leo shook his head, smiling: "I think he's gonna scare the kids..."  
John smirked: "No... Believe me, they're gonna love him, he'll be the best Santa in the entire history." Leo smiled too and folded his arms on his chest, leaving everything just to look at the Elder.  
"Ho, ho... ehem..." Jeremiah stopped right in front of them: "You think these "hos" are very loud, or very... round? What do you think?" he grinned, waiting for an answer.  
Leo and John exchanged looks and then shrugged: The kids were about to start arriving, and he himself had to go and get Wyatt for the last rehearsal, so Leo just said: "Perfect. You're perfect. The best Santa in the entire history."  
Jeremiah smiled and turned his back to them: "Ho, ho, ho!!"  
John chuckled, covering his mouth with his hand and turning his head a little bit, as Leo smiled widely and shook his head again: "This is gonna be great."

& & & & &

Victor was about to take a sip from the cup of tea he had just prepared, when orbing lights filled the lounge making him spill it all on the floor: "Oh, no..." he complaint.  
Chris ran to him, consternated, and Bianca smiled and went to the kitchen looking for a mop to clean it. Victor smiled at his grandson, who had left all the bags and packets on the floor.  
"I am sorry, grandpa... I promise I will never ever orb here again... I..."  
But Victor smiled and put a hand on his shoulder, noticing his worries: "It's ok, son. Just forget it. The floor is covered with dust and liquids. This will just add beauty and originality to it."  
Chris laughed and stood up helping him do the same, when Bianca arrived and cleaned it as fast as she could.  
"So you're ready, Victor?" she asked, going back to the kitchen with the sponge and towel.  
He nodded: "Yeah, of course, I wanna be the first one there! Wyatt is going to be awesome." Chris smiled and Bianca did the same, showing her head from the kitchen.  
"Do you mind if I go first to the toilet?" she asked, heading to the little bathroom by the kitchen.  
"Yeah, sure, just go " Victor said, shrugging.  
But then, Chris looked at him very serious: "Can we two sit here for a while? I need to talk."  
Victor frowned, but nodded. He didn't like it when Chris sounded that way. That expression was not good. Something had happened.  
But the Elder-witch noticed and smiled, sitting down by his side: "Don't worry, grandpa. It's just..." He didn't know how to start. Suddenly, he turned to him very serious and asked: "Do you believe in angels?"  
This caught Victor completely by surprise. First, he looked at him with a weird expression in his face; then, he looked at him from head to toe, and finally he smirked sarcastically: "You're kidding, aren't you?" But Chris was serious, so he turned serious too: "Chris, you are... I mean..."  
"No, no, no, grandpa, I am not an angel! I mean, I am magic... I am a witch and an Elder, but this is not the same..."  
"Well... I always thought that your father used to say that whitelighters are like ang..."  
But Chris shook his head energetically: "I am talking about true angels. Guardian angels. Whitelighters and Elders and witches belong to the world of magic, but guardian angels... You know, for me they were always like Santa Claus or the tooth fairy... You know what I mean..."  
Chris looked him in the eyes, begging, and Victor was so shocked by the question he didn't know what to say: "Chris... You're magical... And Santa is magical... If another person had asked me that I would have understood, but you... This is your world!"  
"You mean you believe in them?" Chris asked back.  
Victor took some time to answer. That was very hard. Chris had already told him that they used to talk a lot but he never thought he would have to talk about... Santa! Especially when he was in his twenties.  
"Don't you?" he asked, eluding his grandson's question.  
Chris smirked sadly: "You mean if I did... I am not a baby..."  
Victor took a big breath, and then he laughed uncomfortably: "Of course, I mean... didn't you believe in Santa??"  
At that Chris's expression saddened. "Well, yeah... Until Wyatt told me the truth. He said that Santa and the tooth fairy and guardian angels didn't exist at all. That I was a naive and a child and that if I went on believing those things I would die soon."  
"Oh, my..." Victor was shocked at that: "How old were you?"  
Chris shrugged, uncomfortable: "Four or five... don't remember. I don't know if Wyatt was already starting to behave... You know. I don't know how these things came to his mind, but... It was shocking, grandpa. You used to tell me that guardian angels were always there and all that... I didn't listen to him. I mean, I did, I started to think of it. But then... when all that... You know, when the aunts, and mom... died." He swallowed. "I had believed in guardian angels I had hope, but not even dad appeared."  
Victor frowned. That was going to be hard: "Chris... Things are complicated... You are magical. I know, this is real life for you, but for me, you're like Santa, or the tooth fairy." Chris smiled at that, but kept listening: "I believe in you, because I have seen you. But some people believe in you even though they haven't seen you. Some people believe in magic. So for me, if you exist, Santa, the tooth fairy and guardian angels can exist too." He paused, feeling he was more rambling than helping, but Chris looked very pensive at the moment. Victor put his hand on his knee: "Son... Why do you ask this precisely now??"  
Chris looked him in the eyes again, with his own teary and swallowed. He was going to answer, but Bianca came back: "Ok... Ready for the performance?"  
Chris dried his eyes immediately with his sleeve and stood up: "Ready." Victor nodded, and took his hand, ready to orb.  
Bianca went to him, took the packets and looked at his face for a second, but if she had seen his distress, she kept it for her.  
"Let's go!"

& & & & &

Steve sighed as he closed another book. He sat in the empty library, still trying to find a way to solve his problem. 'How to vanquish your own family' he thought sarcastically. And the next moment he winced at that thought. How could he do that? But there was something wrong in his own statement. Those demons weren't exactly family, not for him. His mom was family, Nicki was family, Tom was and Veronica too, in a way... even Chris was family, but not them... Not those demons...  
He felt again the anger rise inside him, while he thought about that disgusting way he had been conceived. But that didn't matter anymore.  
He leaned back and closed his eyes thinking about Nicki. She was somewhere around there. Steve had insisted that they would stay at the school as long as he hadn't found a way to deal with his 'relatives'. It was just safer. And for nothing in this world he would take the risk of her being hurt.  
Chris didn't mind that they stayed at the school, because at the moment there was more than enough to do, and every helping hand was welcome. So at the moment Nicki was somewhere backstage to prepare the presentation of the first and second grade.  
'Nicki...' he smiled as his mind was spinning around her, his beautiful, lovely, adorable girlfriend. She was even more than that. She was all he ever wanted. She was all he needed.  
It was an amazing thing how much life could change in one and a half year. He remembered the day of their graduation, how Phoebe had smiled at them while she gave them their diploma. And how Chris later came to ask him and the others to stay at the school as teachers.  
Of course they all accepted, who would have not? At that time life was just great, great and easy. At that time he had thought he was just an ordinary witch.  
He shook his head. 'And now? How do we celebrate our first Christmas together?' he thought. 'God, we haven't even a tree.'  
'Speaking of this...' Tom suddenly entered interrupted his friends thought, talking to him through their connection, 'we could need you down here in the hall.'  
'Tom? God since when have you been in my mind?' Steve asked back kind of annoyed.  
'Long enough to notice that you need some distraction, so come down here... the play is starting in a couple of minutes anyway...'  
Steve sighed: 'I'm on the way.'

& & & & &

As Leo arrived backstage with Wyatt, Miss Leenett smiled. "Oh there is our little superstar," she said caressing Wyatt's cheek.  
Leo smiled proudly and then asked: "Is everything ready?"  
Miss Leenett smiled back at him: "There is the usual trouble with the 9th grade, but else everything is ready to start."  
The Elder sighed. The 9th grade was a group of trouble makers. He just hoped they would act like adults for just one single day. He so much wanted this to be perfect. His son, and also all the other teachers, had put so much work into this... they all deserved a great play.  
Meanwhile Wyatt was walking around among the other kids. Then he spotted Jeremiah, giving his costume the last touch. He went over to him and tugged at his coat.  
The Elder looked down and smiled: "Oh, Wyatt... you look cute!"  
Wyatt didn't react to this, instead he asked: "Won't Santa be angry when you play him?"  
Jeremiah couldn't help but smile widely as he knelt down and hugged the boy. Then he looked in to the child's eyes: "Don't worry... You know, Santa is very busy and... he can't be here on his own, because he has to prepare all the gifts for the kids. So... actually he's happy that people like me are helping him a little."  
Wyatt smiled. That explanation was well enough for him. He nodded and added: "You really look like him." Then he returned to his dad.  
Jeremiah followed him with his eyes. This was all so amazing. And he asked himself the same question, like so many times before in the last months. 'How could I ever have doubts about Chris?' He shook his head smiling. He really didn't know.

& & & & &

Victor took a deep breath when he and the others finally rematerialised at the school. He already became more used to the whole orbing-thing, but four times in a row (from his home to the manor's living room, then to the guest room, then back to the living room and then to the school) was a little too much for just five minutes.  
He looked around, amazed about the mass of people walking around. Victor had been at the school a couple of times already, but only in the afternoon or at the holidays, so he was kind of surprised that there were so much people around.  
"Are all those people witches?" he asked.  
Piper grinned: "Witches, sorcerers, whitelighters, and also some other magical beings, and some humans, of course."  
"And lot's of mixtures," Bianca added, looking down at the baby-girl in her arms with that loving smile only a mother can giver her child.  
"Alright... I guess we should go and get a seat..." Phoebe said excited. Cole, who was holding her hand, smiled about her excitement and kissed her, passionately.  
"What was that for?" the empath asked after he had released her.  
He smiled: "Just for you being you."  
The others grinned about the couple. Then Paige turned to Piper: "I hope the potion will work."  
Piper smiled understandingly: "Don't worry, it'll bring Kyle here as soon as he throws it to his feet."  
"I hope so..."  
"Ok," Chris took over the word, "you go and take a seat in the hall... and I go and play the headmaster."  
Everyone could hear the little unsureness in his voice. Everyone of them knew that Chris didn't like those kind of speeches at all. "Oh, don't worry," Bianca tried to calm him down, "you're opening speech is great... it will just be two minutes... and then you'll come down to us and enjoy the show..."  
The Elder-witch grinned nervous: "Alright... Save me a seat." Then he gave his wife a soft kiss and orbed away.

_

* * *

(Chapter 1 written by Belén and Chrissy.W.x)_


	2. Chapter 2

**A Charmed Story - Part Twelve:  
A Halliwell Christmas Carol  
Chapter 2**

Kyle sighed staring at the little vial he was holding in his hand. He just arrived at the Halliwell manor and parked his car. Now he was sitting there, eyeing that shiny liquid warily. It wasn't that he was afraid... oh no, he wasn't. But still... Would he really end up at the school? Or would he maybe find himself in a demon's cave? 'No...' he told himself. The sisters knew their job very well, this potion would work.  
He sighed, left the car and locked it. Then he walked around the house and to the garden in the back. Again he eyed the vial as Paige's words echoed in his mind: _"Just throw it to your feet and you'll be there with us..."_  
He looked around and when he was sure no one was watching, he threw the potion to his feet.  
Immediately he was surrounded by a yellow smoke and when his vision cleared again he stood in a long hallway right in front of a huge door. He took a relieved breath, feeling a little dizzy from being transported. Then he carefully opened the door. Behind it was a large hall full of people. On the stage Chris was holding his speech.  
Kyle scanned the crowed and finally spotted Paige and the rest of the family. Carefully not to gain too much attention, he made his way through the rows and sat down next to his girl, right that moment loud applause filled the air. Chris had exited the stage.  
"Welcome honey," Paige said and kissed Kyle lovingly. "Did everything go well?"  
"Yeah... Just still a little dizzy, but I'm here, right?" She smiled and took his hand, while they both turned their attention to the stage.

& & & & &

Annie sat in the backseat of the car and pouted. She had her arms crossed over her chest and looked out of the window. It was snowing again...  
"Annie..." her mother tried to talk to her for the tenth time.  
"No... I saw it mom, I know he's my guardian angel," Annie replied. "It was like dad always told me... Why don't you believe me?"  
The woman, who was on the wheel, winced as the words of her daughter brought her memories back to life... the memories of her husband... the memories of his death.  
"Annie, I do... I do believe you," the woman replied with a sigh.  
The girl lend a little forward: "And why couldn't I talk to him a little more?"  
"Because... because we're in a hurry... If he is YOUR angel, then you'll meet him again, don't worry..." the woman said, trying to stay calm. She didn't want to tell her daughter the truth... Actually she wasn't even sure if she herself would know the truth.  
Her husband, Danny, he had told her once that he had been a guardian angel, and that's also what he had told their daughter... And it was ... well, at the beginning of their relationship he would just disappear and reappear from nothing... She never had asked him about that, how that worked... she didn't want to know. And he had given all this up for them anyway... They had been happy together, a happy little family.  
Till that day he was attacked, till that day he had died in her arms. He had told her with his last breath, to protect their little girl. And that's what she tried to do.  
"Are you sure?" Annie asked, pulling her mother out of her thoughts.  
The woman took a deep breath, then smiled at her daughter: "Yeah, of course..."

& & & & &

"And that was... how the snowman lived happily ever after, coming back every Christmas to cheer a little kid up and give him his gift."  
The curtains closed slowly hiding the stage behind, and with it, a very smiley Snow-Wyatt and all the other kids who stood behind him. At that very moment the auditorium was filled with the sound of strong and energetic clapping hands.  
When Leo saw Piper wiping her tears away, while sustaining little Chris in her arms, he smiled and wrapped her in an embrace.  
"He was awesome, wasn't he," she sobbed, touched.  
Leo nodded, amused and also moved by his wife's attitude. "Yeah, he was... He was the best." Then he kissed her on the forehead: "And now, sweetheart, you have to be yourself again and pay attention, because the best part of all the show is about to start."  
Meanwhile, Chris and Bianca were still clapping their hands: "Cute..." murmured Chris.  
Bianca kissed him in the cheek and said, making him blush: "You did a great job, honey."  
Victor, who was sitting in the middle of both couples, chuckled with their words as he kept clapping. "And which is that part?" he asked Leo, interested.  
But Chris was faster in his answer. "Santa Claus is coming..." he explained mysteriously. Victor raised his eyebrow but then turned his head to the stage again, wonderingly and expectant.  
Bianca burst out into laughter and caressed Hope while saying: "I guess this part is gonna be fun." Chris smiled and hugged her.  
Meanwhile, behind them, Paige was holding Kyle's hand and laughing at the same time: "Did you see the kid with a bunch of flowers on his head? He was so hilarious!"  
Kyle laughed softly too: "The poor kid was kinda freaked out..."  
"Yeah, he was." said Cole, who was sitting at the other side of Phoebe, and therefore he had to lean a bit over himself: "I would be, if I had to wear that... disguise." He and Kyle laughed heartily, but Phoebe punched Cole's arm playfully, making him complain: "That hurt!"  
"Poor kid, Cole!? He was really cute, don't say foolishness."  
"Yeah, of course," Paige answered very quickly, trying to show herself serious but holding back her laughter. Kyle couldn't help chuckling, which made Cole laugh again and Phoebe roll her eyes.

& & & & &

Steve hugged Nicki tightly. "I love you, you know that?" he whispered into her ear.  
"Yeah I know," she replied smiling, "I love you, too."  
Both had been helping backstage with the first grade and the kindergarten group. Now after those parts were done they both had a moment to relax and they wanted to use it to watch 'Santa', from the side of the stage.  
"I'm sorry," Steve said then, his voice low and nearly broken.  
Nicki pulled away, wonderingly: "For what?" She looked him in the eyes and could see the sadness and frustration there.  
"For not giving you the Christmas you deserve," he said lowering his eyes.  
"Are you kidding?" she said and slapped his chest playfully. "I'm here, watching the play, with the person I love most in this world. And tomorrow we'll have a great dinner with our families... and Christmas Day we will spend with our friends, and I'm sure you'll have a lovely gift for me... But most important... all of this time you're near... You're here on my site... What more could I wish for?"  
He nodded, but wasn't convinced: "But I wanted this Christmas to be perfect!"  
Nicki smiled and kissed him: "It is perfect..."  
Steve sighed and hugged her again. "I don't deserve you... I love you so much..."  
She returned his hug lovingly. She could understand him perfectly, the situation was anything else than easy at the moment. But they would make the best out of it.  
"Tony... Drew... Melissa... STOP THAT CRAP!" they heard Veronica from the changing rooms.  
Nicki pulled away and took Steve's hand: "Come on, let's see how our friends are doing with the 9th grade..."

& & & & &

Angela and Michael were sitting on the old and used sofa at the house of Angela's parents. They had invited them for an early Christmas Lunch. It felt weird to go back to the roots. They had spend so much time here, before they had been kidnapped, but now they didn't really fit into this world anymore. Some of their old friends also had been there for the meal. But those who had been their best friends in school, were now twenty years older than them. Michael sighed thinking about how less he had to talk about with Andy, the one who had been his best friend... once, in another life... It was crazy, but... it had been much easier for the two to get used to all the technical innovations of the last 20 years, than it was to build a bridge between those different lives they and their old friends now had. They had simply moved on into different directions.  
Now the others where gone, and Michael and Angela sat together with her parents on the sofa, drinking some coffee.  
"I'm really sorry, that we can't come here tomorrow..." Angela said, feeling guilty. After all, those were her parents.  
"Oh don't worry," Martha replied smiling. "Actually I'm relieved that you found some new friends so soon, after all that had happened... And I'm happy that you and... Bianca, right?" Angela nodded. "... you and Bianca are so close friends. That's good. I'm happy for you both."  
"And you're godparents of their daughter, so you have to be there on Christmas," James added.  
Michael grinned, thinking about Hope. He couldn't wait to see her face when she would see that huge teddy for the first time.  
Martha noticed the look on his face and added: "I'm sure she's a cute girl."  
"Oh yes, she is..." Michael nodded.  
"So..." his mother in law said, handing him another piece of the cake, "when will you two have your own child? I mean... We're not getting any younger, you know?"  
Michael and Angela blushed. Both of them unsure what to answer, they just looked at each other. Then Michael looked at the old woman - who was over seventy years old already - and felt that he shouldn't disappoint her nor her husband. "Well..." he said hesitating, "we're trying... but... it didn't work... until now, I mean... But... I promise you, you'll have some grandkids as soon as possible..."  
Martha smiled warmly. Actually, even if she was old, neither Angela nor Michael doubted that she would live another twenty years or even more. She was still powerful, made sports and gave piano lessons. And even if her face showed her age, when she smiled she looked more like a teen... And the same it was for James who was laughing now, as he saw how is son in law struggled with the words. The old man was tanned, and still well build, which - as he himself said - was just because he loved to take care of their large garden.  
"Oh..." the old man exclaimed suddenly, pulling the couple out of their thoughts. "I forgot, I wanted to give you something, Mike..."  
"But it's two days before Christmas Day, mom," Angela stated while her father rose and went over to one of the shelves.  
"Ah... nonsense... this isn't something for Christmas..." he said while pulling out a few books. Then he returned and gave the books to Michael. "Here, I know you like all those stuff about the middle age... Those books I bought a long time ago, but now I have no use of them anymore, only the dust pays attention to them. So I thought I give them to you."  
Michael, nodded impressed. "Thanks," he said smiling, while he had a closer look at the old beautiful books. They surly had a high value. "Thanks a lot," he repeated.  
"Oh... don't thank me, son... I'm happy that you have use for them..." he said and took a sip from his coffee.

& & & & &

"STOP THAT CRAP!" Suddenly, in the silence of the auditorium, that yell was heard. Chris went pale in less than a nano-second, feeling all the stares at him.  
"Sweetie... I thought that behind the stage everything was under control... That Steve and the others were able to handle it..." Bianca whispered, as she cradled Hope in her arms, now that the girl was starting to moan weakly.  
Chris smiled ashamed: "So did I... believe me." His eyes went from one place to another in the room, making sure that there was no one who had not noticed Veronica's scream. "They're gonna hear me when we're finished here..." he added, still smiling, but visibly reddish now.  
Piper and Leo were also looking at him, as well as the back row where the rest were sitting, but they decided not to tell him anything, seeing how uncomfortable he was feeling already.  
"Buddy..." Victor could not help chuckling, but patted his shoulder. "There's nothing wrong, these things happen in the normal world..." Chris lowered his eyes, annoyed and ashamed, but thanks God, even though it seemed to have been an eternity since Veronica's outburst behind the stage, it had been just around five seconds between it and the reopening of the curtains.  
"Hehehe..." They heard a nervous fast laughter, which turned into coughing and then into a "HO, ho, ho, ho!!" while the curtains opened and Santa-Jeremiah appeared behind them, sitting on a big golden throne.  
People started to laugh and Chris uncrossed and crossed his legs several times, feeling he was starting to freak out with this new 'inconvenience'. He had worked so hard to make this play perfect, and everything was going wrong...  
At that moment, the young man felt a hand on his shoulder and he turned to see Cole, who was smiling at him. "It was just a little hitch. Not even that... Relax, nephew, and enjoy your work," he said, trying to calm him down. Victor nodded, and all the others smiled at him comfortingly.  
"What?? Can you read my mind now??" Chris whispered back at his uncle.  
"Ho, Ho, HO!!" They heard again Jeremiah's laughter, who was now more focused and self-reliant. His voice this time surpassed all the laughter in the auditorium. "What do we have here??" He went on.  
Chris turned slightly to the stage, but then to his uncle again, who was answering with a smile: "I don't need to read your mind to know what you were thinking. Do as I say... Relax!" Then he leant back again and passed his arm around Phoebe, who smiled and winked at Chris. Paige and Kyle also nodded at him. Chris took a deep breath, sighed and sat still again, looking at the scenery.  
Now, Jeremiah was laughing as Santa Claus all the time, and saying hello to the kids in the room, making them laugh too.  
Bianca put her hand on his knee: "Look... He's cute..." Chris swallowed and nodded; then he smiled, trying to focus on the play, as everyone had asked him to do.  
"Have you all been good this year??" Jeremiah asked at that time.  
"Yes!!" the kids in the room answered.  
"Are you sure??" Jeremiah took his hand to his ear, as if he was not able to hear correctly.  
"YES!!" the childish voices cried once again, making Santa smile.  
"So you have not used magic to cheat??"  
"NOOO!!"  
"And you have not used it to... to get what you want??"  
"NOO!!"  
Jeremiah nodded slightly, with his hand scratching his chin, as if he was thinking deeply about it: "I don't know... You know what?? I see EEEverything."  
At this, the kids looked at him very serious and said nothing; however, this time it was the parents that laughed heartily. "Ok... You know what?? I have a very good memory... But..." He had taken his hand under his red coat and now took it out again, throwing powder at the air suddenly: "Oops!" he said.  
"That was memory dust!!" an older student dressed as an elf had come into the stage and said that, covering his mouth with a hand, and laughing: "He's gonna forget those little things now."  
All the kids in the auditorium started to laugh again, as our Santa frowned and looked around, confused: "Wait... Who am I?"  
"SANTA!!"  
"Santa... Santa who??"  
"Santa CLAUS!!"  
At that Jeremiah scratched his forehead, as if he didn't remember at all. All the small kids held their breath, scared that Santa had forgotten all this, too, while parents held their laughter watching their little children's faces.  
After some seconds, which again seemed to be an eternity, Santa-Jeremiah raised his hands startling in realisation: "Oh... YEAH!! You're right!! So... So I came here to... Give you some presents!!" And after saying that, he used magic to make his big bag appear. All the kids started to cry and laugh and say things, very happy.  
At that moment, Bianca turned to Chris, frowning: "Is he truly bringing some presents?"  
Chris, who was now calmer and enjoying all the spectacle, even laughing, nodded to his wife, shrugging: "Just a little thing... You know, there are some kids here who won't have much on Christmas Day..."  
"Chris..." Bianca was so surprised and moved by that: "How did you... get those presents for all of them?"  
Chris smiled and kissed her softly in her lips: "This was something that took the whole year, sweetie. I raised some money among richer parents and I even told Michael, who helped quite a lot..."  
Bianca stared at him completely in love. Then she kissed him again: "You're an angel, did you know that?"  
Kids of nearly all ages were starting to stand in a line, including those who had already took part in the play (or those who still would), which meant also Wyatt. Jeremiah had already a couple of twins on his knees and was talking to them while the other waited calmly and parents observed them very happily. Piper felt she was drooling at the sight of her oldest dressed as the snowman. That was a great day...  
But Chris, with Bianca's words, could not help go stiff. An angel... The second time he heard that in that day. And this brought the little girl back to his mind.

& & & & &

As soon as Nicki and Steve entered the changing room, they saw how Veronica and Melissa tried to pull Drew and Tony apart. Both boys were fighting slightly.  
"Hey!" Steve exclaimed and went over to them. He grabbed Tony by his wrists to hold him back.  
"Where is Tom?" Nicki asked Melissa who had stepped back a little. The young witch just shrugged.  
But right that moment the man shimmered in. "Wow," he mumbled and stepped to Steve's site, helping him to calm down Tony. "What the hell is going on here?" he asked then angry.  
Non of the boys answered.  
Steve would have expected such a behavior from Tony who was known to have a hot temper, but he never had expected something like that from Drew who was more the calm kind of guy, though he also was no angel in class. But maybe he hadn't started that...  
So Steve looked at him and asked: "Drew come on... what happened?"  
The young witch looked unsure to Tony who hissed an almost inaudible: "Don't..."  
Veronica narrowed her eyes, then he gestured to Steve and her boyfriend: "Go... get him out and refresh... He has to be on stage right on time."  
Both men nodded and pulled Tony out of the room, and to the bathroom.  
Nicki shook her head and looked at Melissa. But the young girl just looked down to her feat.  
Veronica looked at Drew: "Tell me what happened, please..."  
"Nothing," Drew said, smiling weakly, "really, it was just... a... misunderstanding... I just don't agree with his ideas..."  
"Ideas?" Nicki asked.  
Drew looked at Melissa and sighed: "Sorry, but I can't tell you more."  
Nicki and Veronica realised, that he didn't want to be a traitor to his classmates, especially because Melissa (Tony's girlfriend) was still in the room. So they just nodded and let Drew go his way, to get his dress fixed. Melissa followed him.  
Nicki stepped closer to Veronica with a sigh: "Do you think they plan something about the play?"  
Veronica shrugged: "I don't know... But if they do, they will regret it."

& & & & &

Annie was on the floor in her room, playing with a couple of old dolls her daddy had bought for her before he died. They didn't look that good anymore, but she loved those dolls above everything.  
"Hey, Annie... Do you want cookies with chocolate?" her mother asked gladly as she entered with a big tray. "I just made them!"  
Annie looked at her gravely, and then continued playing, ignoring her.  
Her mother sighed, leaving the tray on the table in the lounge. Then she went to her again and hugged her from behind, squatting by her side: "Sweetie... Why are you angry at me?"  
"Because you don't believe me."  
"Annie, my love... I told you we were in a hurry... And if he's your angel, he'll find you, I promise."  
"But you say that, because you don't believe he IS my angel!" she said, angrily. "I saw the colors dad told me! And he helped me!"  
Her mother sighed again, and kissed her on the cheek. "I believe you, honey... But things are not that easy... You know what?? Normally, you don't see your angel... They stay hidden always behind you, to protect you and help you... Maybe you just saw him because he wanted you to see him once... But that doesn't mean you can see him all the time you want and..."  
"But I can't feel him now. I felt him in the toy store, but I can't feel him now." she sobbed in her mother's arms. "If he were here, hidden, I would feel him..."  
Her mother felt her heart breaking. She didn't know what to do with her and her obsession with angels... Since her dad's death, she had behaved that way. "You don't feel dad either... But you know he's here, in your heart... Always." She touched her chest softly, kissing her forehead again.  
Now, Annie was crying silently. "Maybe dad is not here either," she said.  
"Dad is here always... Forever..." her mother answered, caressing her hair. Both of them stayed like that, sobbing, for some minutes.  
After that, the woman stood up, dried her tears, and smiled, stretching her arm to her daughter: "Ok, let's make a deal. You're gonna be happy today and you're gonna eat cookies with chocolate with me, and I promise that tomorrow we'll go back to that toy store again. Maybe your angel loves toys..." She winked at her. Annie was not sure, but finally nodded and took her hand. Then both took their cookies, watching a Disney movie.

& & & & &

After Santa "Jeremiah" had given a present to every kid he stood up from his golden throne and went to the edge of the stage.  
Chris sighed nearly two hours had passed until every kid was satisfied, much longer than they had expected.  
But Jeremiah still smiled in his costume. "Now it's time for me to go, because there are more kids outside and there is still so much to do before it's time to get the sleigh ready..." he said smiling and waved his hand while he took a bow.  
Right that second when he did that, a small box appeared on Kyle's lap from bluish lights. "What the..." he said, but Santa interrupted him.  
"Good night and Ho-Ho-Ho!" he said and orbed away.  
While the others jumped up, clapping their hands and screaming for more, Kyle looked confused at Paige. "What is that?" he asked.  
The witch-whitelighter shrugged: "I don't know, open it."  
Kyle nodded and lifted the top of the small box. Inside was a baby-blue potion and a note.  
_"With this we want to invite you to our belated little Christmas-party with the Elders on December 26th! Paige will be there, too, so we thought you'd like to come. We guess, you know how to use this transporting potion.  
Odin, Silas, Jeremiah, Elenia, Yuri, Andrew and all the rest..."_  
"Wow..." Kyle muttered completely shocked. Paige had told her about that 'party' which - as she had said - would take place in the world of the Elders. But maybe she was wrong about that... or... no, the Elders never let someone up there, she had said... So it couldn't be, could it?  
"That's amazing!" Paige smiled. Then she tapped her finger on Chris's shoulder to gain his attention. When he looked around she asked through the noise of the audience: "Did you knew that?"  
"What?" Chris asked not understanding. Kyle showed him the note and his eyes grew wide while he read it. Of course they had managed to convince the other Elders to invite some of the witches with their families, like the sisters and those teachers from the school... And they had invited Victor too... but Kyle? Seems the Elders saw a kind of family in him, too. Chris smiled and looked at Kyle again: "That's cool... Congratulations."  
"So this party really is...?" Kyle asked pointing with his finger at the ceiling. Chris just nodded. "Wow," the man muttered again and then turned to Paige and kissed her.

& & & & &

When Michael and Angela finally reached their home, they were really tired. This had been a long day, and not as good as they had hoped. But at least Angela's parents had been really happy, so it was good they did go there.  
"I need a shower," Angela said and went upstairs.  
Michael nodded. Then he went to the lounge and sat down on the couch. He took one of those old books his father in law had given him. Like if he hadn't enough books like that... After they had returned form that time, he had bought tons of them, just to see if they had changed something... He shook his head smiling and started to read.  
A few minutes later his wife returned, already in her night dress. "Hey, honey... Do you want a tea??"  
He raised his eyes, almost surprised of hearing her voice, and nodded. "Oh, yeah... nice," he said.  
Angela stared at him and then smiled, and sat down by him. He was again reading... The woman shook her head, amused about the fact that he had his nose stuck in a book about the Middle Age, again. Then she put her hand on the page he was looking at that moment.  
"Angy, love, I can't read..."  
"That's my intention, honey," she said, playfully.  
He looked at her, furrowing his eyebrows: "What?? But..." Then he blushed: "Ok, sorry... I spent too much time reading but maybe I can find something in THIS book about... well you know that story..." he said, his eyes begging for her understanding.  
"King Arthur and his Noble Knights of the Round Table... I know. But believe me. If something has changed, I am sure Chris and his family would already know, they would have told us. Or simply we would not notice, since... well, since everything would have been like that always, even our minds would have changed..."  
He frowned, staring at her. "It seems you're really into this stuff of time travelling," he murmured.  
She burst into laughter, and leant her head on his shoulder. "If you can't defeat your enemy... join him! I guess I don't have any other option, living with you... And now, my dear..." she said, placing her fingers on the cover of the brown and golden book. "Close this and take a tea with me, ok??"  
Michael nodded, silently. Then he smiled: "I just... I just wanted to know about Amy, you know?? If she could save Gareth."  
"But you told her to do it secretly, honey. That means, it'll never be in the legend."  
He sighed. She was right, but he had the hope that Amy had found a way to leave a clue for them... Somewhere...  
"Ok... Let's take that tea," he said, closing the book with a strong thud.  
Angela smiled and kissed his cheek lovingly: "I'll get it ready then."  
But Mike pushed her down to the couch again, when she tried to stand up, and grinned: "I'll make it. Just sit and relax." And he kissed her on the lips, before going to the kitchen, leaving her behind with a wide smile on her face.  
Then she took the book in her hands, exhaling a deep breath, and caressed the old cover, pensive. All those things her husband had told her after their visit to the past, and the medal... She took her hand to the medal, feeling a thrill. That was so amazing... Had it really belonged to Guinevere and Lancelot?? She could not believe it... That was like a dream. She opened the book again on the first page, and read the introduction distractedly, as she played with the medal between her fingers.

& & & & &

About fifteen minutes later another act of the play was done. Now it was time for the ninth grade. Chris looked a little scared at his wife. This was the last act and until now almost everything had gone well... too well. She smiled at him. "Baby, don't worry... everything will go just fine..."  
Chris shrugged: "I'm not so sure about that..."  
"Do you really think they have something planed?" Victor asked. They had talked about that 'difficult' class before.  
Chris shrugged again: "I just hope they don't ruin everything."  
Then the curtain opened again. And there they stood, all ten members of the ninth grade, dressed in elves-costumes. They were supposed to sing a song, but before John could start to play the piano, Tony, Melissa and Jack stepped forward.  
"Oh no..." Chris muttered, while Bianca caressed his hand.  
Then they heard them say:  
_"For all those people in this hall  
For a little gift we call  
During the next two minutes of this show  
In this hall, please let it snow."_  
Right after they had finished their spell snowflakes appeared from nowhere and slowly fell down on the audience. Some parents were slightly screaming, others were laughing, but no one seemed to dislike it.  
Then the kids stepped back and Tony gestured to John to start playing. And so he did, and the kids sang "White Christmas".  
Bianca and Victor were giggling, while the snow fell down on them, covering them with a soft white. Chris just shook his head, blushing ashamed. This was horrible... But then he looked around and noticed that everyone seemed to like it. The kids were playing with the snow and the adults seemed to enjoy it too, even if their clothes got a little wet.  
"Great idea, Chris," Kyle said.  
Leo nodded to that comment and looked at his son: "Why didn't you tell us that?"  
Chris showed him a forced grin: "Because it wasn't planed..."  
Leo frowned, then nodded smiling: "Well... I would give them an extra A for that idea..."  
Chris chuckled while the ninth grade was still singing... Actually at least it did fit to the song...

* * *

_(Chapter 2 written by Chrissy.W.x and Belén)_


	3. Chapter 3

**A Charmed Story - Part Twelve:  
A Halliwell Christmas Carol  
Chapter 3**

"It was a cute play... Wasn't it, sweetieee??" Piper was talking to Wyatt, who was sitting on the bed while being undressed by his mom. Leo smiled as he helped, holding up his arms to get the disguise off his body.  
"It really was. You guys did a great job," was Phoebe's voice. The Charmed One was sitting, her legs crossed, on Cole's lap, who was caressing her neck and hair lovingly.  
Leo nodded at her words: "Thanks. You know, we had never done anything like this before. But Chris..." Leo shook his head. "The boy is really obsessed with having everyone happy and bringing… you know... fresh air."  
Cole and Phoebe nodded, with an understanding smile, while Piper was trying to keep Wyatt sitting and put new socks on his feet. At that moment, Victor came in with baby-Chris in his arms.  
"Well... Is this the new meeting room in the house?" he asked, amused, seeing how many people were gathered inside the small room. Cole chuckled, as well as Leo did, and Piper kept working on her son.  
Phoebe went to her dad and kissed him lovingly on the cheek. Then she pinched Christopher's cheek. "You know? We were actually avoiding you..." she said.  
"Yeah, dad, of course!" It was Piper that spoke this time. "Actually I came here first to avoid your annoying little daughter, but then Leo came... And Cole wanted to see his nephew for a while.. And Pheebs won't let him breathe... alone, at least!"  
She was kidding, no doubt, and Phoebe laughed at her words, going to her: "I LOOOVE my sister, dad." And she hugged and kissed Piper strongly, even though she was struggling to free herself.  
"Enough, Phoebe! My sons are waiting for their mom, they wanna go to bed, you know?" All of them laughed. Victor went to the bed and took a seat there, but Cole stood up and approached Phoebe.  
He took her arm: "Actually I think she's right, honey. The boys wanna go to bed."  
"Oh, but..." she complaint, until she saw his naughty look: "Oh... THE big boy wants to go to bed." She laughed nervously, and looked at the others, who were smiling understandingly and naughty, too. "Well... I guess I have to take MY big boy to... mmm... sleep, too."  
And she held Cole's hand and pulled him through the door. He turned just before closing the door, and said: "Good night!" Then the door closed, and all the people inside started to laugh heartily. Even Wyatt started to giggle and clap his hands, not even knowing what had gone on there.

& & & & &

A little while later, Victor watched as Piper closed the door to the kid's room quietly. They boys were already asleep.  
"They are good boys, Piper... And you're a great mother, I'm proud of you."  
"Thanks dad," Piper said blushing.  
Victor smiled and looked around the hallway. "This has really grown, since I had been here the last time," he remarked then, looking at his daughter again.  
"Yeah, we've done quiet a lot... There are those new rooms up here, which you already saw and... Oh, you have to see our new sunroom... it's great, the windows are even larger then in the old one..."  
"Alright," Victor said grinning, "then let us go down there... but please, by feet this time..." Piper chuckled heartily.  
While they went down, Victor asked: "And the old sunroom is now... the new living room?"  
Piper nodded: "Yeah, we left the windows in the old wall, so that we have also light in there... Oh and the old living room is changed into a new bedroom for Phoebe and Cole and an office for him... you know, he wants to work as a lawyer again..."  
Victor nodded: "Yeah, I heard of that..."  
Then they reached the new sunroom and Victor stopped, amazed by that view. The whole wall seemed to be one big window and he had an amazing view at the white, snow covered garden and the dark sky full of stars... And of course all those electric lights Cole and Chris had put around the tree with the bench underneath it. It looked beautiful, really beautiful. "Wow..." he muttered.  
Piper grinned and patted his back: "I know dad, I know..."  
They stood there for a while just enjoying the view. Then Victor turned to his daughter again: "Is Chris staying at the school tonight?" Piper nodded. "Ok, so I have to say 'good night' to him... Didn't you mention a door to that place??"

& & & & &

Paige and Kyle stood outside the manor. He held her close because the weather was really icy. He sighed: "You're sure that you don't want to come with me and stay over night?" She smiled sadly at him and nodded.  
Kyle sighed again. That was kind of frustrating. It's been four month now since they had told each other 'I love you'... Still there was nothing more then some holding hands, some kissings and huggings. He wanted more... he needed more. But on the other hand he didn't want to push her... for nothing in this world, he would do that. He just loved her too much.  
Paige secretly smiled inside her, seeing that sad but longing look in his eyes. She knew what he wanted and she would follow him to wherever, right at this moment, but... No... she couldn't... that would spoil her Christmas-present for him. And that was something she surly didn't want. To be honest, she couldn't wait to see his face tomorrow, when she would give him that little box. So... she just had to control her hormones for another 24 hours.  
"I love you," she said to him and kissed him.  
Kyle kissed her back with all his heart. Then he placed his forehead against hers and looked deeply in her eyes: "I love you, too... more than everything else in this world."  
Paige smiled: "I know..."  
He sighed again and started to walk down the stairs to his car which he had left there this morning.  
"See you tomorrow!" Paige yelled when he opened the door.  
"I would never want to miss that... Have a good night!" he replied when he stepped into the car.  
"Good night!" the witch-whitelighter yelled back, and then Kyle closed the door. They waved to each other one last time, and then he drove away.  
Paige exhaled deeply, as she followed his car with her eyes. Then she turned around and went back into the house.

& & & & &

"Yeah, bring the stage-deco to the little storage room on the left side, maybe we can use that again someday," Chris commanded. He, Tom, Steve, Andrew and John were cleaning the stage from the leftovers of the play. Meanwhile Mr. Smith was trying to get the floor dried from all the melted snow. He was mumbling continuously, but luckily he was too far away for the others to understand his swearings.  
Nicki and Veronica were at the canteen preparing something to eat for their hard-working boys, while Bianca was bringing Hope to bed.  
"Where do we put Santa-Jeremiah's throne?" Tom asked.  
Chris looked into his papers, while he heard Jeremiah coming back from the changing-rooms, talking in a singing voice: "Oh that was so wonderful wasn't it... I never thought that making a child happy could satisfy so much..."  
The Elder-witch couldn't help chuckling as he turned to Tom: "Put it in the storage room at the right side."  
Then Jeremiah approached him: "Emm... Chris?"  
"Yeah?" he answered while still checking his papers.  
"We had one gift too much."  
Chris looked up kind of shocked: "What? So was there a child missing?"  
Jeremiah shook his head: "No, actually they had all been there... everyone who was on our list. But as it seems we bought one doll too much."  
The Elder-witch frowned: "But we checked the list about a dozen times. I don't understand..."  
"Me neither," the Elder replied nodding.  
Chris sighed: "Ok, take it to my office, maybe we'll find someone to give that doll to... And if not, we'll keep it for next year." And as Jeremiah nodded he turned his attention back to his papers again. They had put so much stuff out of the other rooms for that play, and now everything needed to return to its rightful place. "The shelf goes to the laboratories," he said to John who nodded and orbed the piece of furniture back.  
"Hey, do you maybe need a helping hand?" They suddenly heard a deep but warm voice.  
Chris turned around smiling: "Grandpa! What are you doing here?" He approached him and hugged him. "I thought you went home to the manor..."  
"Oh I did," the old man explained. "I helped to bring mini-you and Wyatt to bed and then I thought I should have a look after my other grandson." He smiled widely, looking at Chris with so much pride in his eyes. "This had been a great play," he added.  
"Thanks," Chris said, blushing, "but it wasn't only my work that made it possible... Everyone helped."  
Victor nodded: "I know... And I also want to help, that's why I'm here..." Then he added in a whisper: "And by the way, since your enlargements at the manor you can really get lost there..."  
Chris chuckled: "Yeah I know, Cole overdid it a little with this much extra rooms... But hey, if our family keeps expanding like that, we'll need them." Now Victor laughed, too.

& & & & &

Angela was still playing with the medal as she went through the pages of the book. She had never been really interested in that stuff of the King Arthur and his knights; at least, not until Michael had acquainted with him personally! Now she had the feeling that she should read those stories. Not, like her husband who was kind of obsessed with the fact that things could have changed, but to honor the memory of those people who fought so much for a better world, and...  
Angela startled: A few of the latest pages of the book fell to the floor. She bent over her body looking at the side to see if Mike was coming, and took them quickly. But once they were in her hands, she had a very strange feeling. She looked closely to those old pages, swearing deep inside for all the gods and magic creatures, that she had seen those well-known bluish lights on them. But there was no trace of them anymore. Angela looked back again, to see if Michael was coming, and then, instead of placing the pages at the end of the book, she started to read them, unable to beat her curiosity.  
_"... And everything happened as it is said. But Gideon was working in the shadows for long, and made a great contribution to this legend..."_  
Angela startled when reading those words: Gideon?? The name was familiar to her, but she could not put the finger on it. She went on reading, excited:  
_"... And everything happened as it is said. But Gideon was working in the shadows for long, and made a great contribution to this legend. But I will let you know later about this.  
I am sorry, Michael..."_  
Now Angela was starting to freak out. What the... Was it a letter that Michael was hiding in the book from her?? The ghost of jealousy was growing up inside her. But then again, he had just got those books from her mom... She looked if he would come back already, but her husband was still in the kitchen. She kept on reading a little bit more:  
_"...I am sorry, Michael. I had to reach you some way, to let you know that everything went fine. I didn't know how to do it, but finally I found a magical way. I guess this letter will appear a bit late, but I was not sure of the moment you would arrive, and I wanted to make sure that you would get it. I hope you did! If Chris asks, it did not travel in time. It's more a spell to make it part of the novel in due time. It took me ages to find the right words! It had to appear in the novel, as part of it, and several centuries later. And it had to appear in YOUR novel! I hope it worked... I am not sure either whether Chris should also know, since I guess this could have changed many things in the future, and you took a great risk by telling me."_  
Angela frowned. 'In the future?? Wait...' She was starting to understand what it was, but still she could not see how it had arrived there. She pondered the idea of calling Mike, but finally decided to read on a little bit more before doing so:  
_"That is why I decided to tell you this, and it's up to you to let him know, too. Whatever you do, I just hope that everything went fine there, that I didn't change anything big; and I also want you to know how grateful I am to you two, Michael. If some day you decide to tell Chris about this... Tell him that I always had a place for him in my heart. For both of you.  
Everything happened as you said. But things are so different when you have to live them in live! Mordred tried to betray Lancelot, he knew how much he loved his father, and did everything in his hands to hurt the king. I have never seen such hatred among people of the same blood. That was a sad period... But I am not gonna tell you everything, you have read it already. Just what you know, Mike: Mordred accused Lancelot and the queen, and the worst is that he was not lying... Arthur was so angry that he decided to kill her and exile his friend. He would regret this later with all his heart, Michael. Never think bad about Arthur. He was a man, too... With a great heart, but a man. He would never be the same after this. Anyway, when Guinevere was gonna be burnt, Gareth and Gaheris were ordered to guard her. Gareth hated doing that, he really did, as well as his brother. And me too, because I realized that the moment you had told me about had arrived. I was so anxious!! I spent those two days awake, unable to sleep. I did not know what to do. I wanted to stop it, but I knew it had to happen, because otherwise the legend would change, and everything would be different, and the consequences could be terrible, I guess. Ask Chris! I just waited, and had to endure his... well, when he was stabbed, as well as Gaheris. By Lancelot... That was so terrible, Mike. Lancelot killed Gaheris to save Guinevere. Gawain hated him for that. I guess you know, but... Well years later some things changed. But back to topic, you read well. He killed Gaheris. And he stabbed Gareth to death, too. I thought I'd never be on time, Mike. I tried to hide among the crowd, and reach him. I was trying to hide my anxiety and my tears, but finally I reached them both. It was too late for Gaheris, he had died instantly. But Gareth was breathing. I put my hands on him, and healed him enough to keep him safe, but he could not wake up. They were gonna take their bodies... They would notice, and they could not do it. But I was also ready for that. As I said, I spent so long making up a good plan for this! And Middle Ages also teach a lot. During all this time I could make acquaintance with some witches, and they gave me a poison... Yeah like in Romeo and Juliet. It made people appear like dead, but you just wake up after some hours. I used it on him. And I prayed so much... I am not gonna tell how was that night in the castle, how Lancelot escaped with Guinevere, how mad Arthur was, and Gawain, he was turning crazy. His two little brothers dead, and killed by him, who had been like another brother for him. He swore he was gonna pay for that. And Mordred, I had never seen such an evil smile on anyone. I regretted not having been able to save Gaheris. And I regretted not to be allowed to tell them that Gareth was gonna live. Finally they were buried, both of them. And when they were left alone in their tombs, I orbed Gareth's body to me. He woke up some hours later, he was so pale and scared, and lost... I explained him some things very fast; then we went home, grabbed some stuff and orbed away, far away. To our dearest land, America, which I missed so much. I'll let you know how we lived there, how we were welcomed by the native peoples, and all. But first, Mike... I had to tell you this. I had some good news for Gareth that day: I was pregnant! Yeah... And he was so happy! As mush as he could, having lost his brother, and with the knowledge that he would never, ever go back home. That was the price. I hope that things went well, Michael. Maybe you should take a look in some Indian Cemetery around San Francisco, I am not sure if there will be some trace of us there. Who knows... Maybe we'll travel to China and die there! Anyway... I am gonna go on with the letter because there are thousands of things I need you to know..."_  
Angela felt a hand on her shoulder and jumped on the sofa, shivering.  
"Are you ok?" Michael asked, surprised.  
She nodded, as she gave him the few pages that gave shape to Amy's letter... Because it was clear now that it was Amy's. "I... I think this is what you were looking for, Mike," she said, still trembling.  
Michael furrowed his eyebrows, surprised, and taking the pages faster than he intended, left the tray with the teas on the table to sit by his wife, to read the letter. His lips drew a bigger and bigger smile as time passed by.

& & & & &

Union Square was always bright and lively, but in Christmas it was even brighter and livelier than usual. It was like an ant hill, swarming with people; happy people who walk around like little ants, bearing big bags with presents, and talking louder and more jovial than they would normally do. They seem to be inspired by the Spirit of Christmas, and not only the spirit of commercial Christmas, but also by the true magic that soars in the atmosphere in such days. Part of this ambience is fairly owed to the enormous tree that stands punctually every year in the middle of the square, giving freely his light to everyone, and with it, giving them also hope and strength to welcome a New Year. Christmas Carols are heard from time to time, a present to the ears given by some choirs that join in front of the majestic fir.  
Annie was looking at the tree in silence, admiring it, her eyes and mouth wide open, her pupils and iris reflecting the beauty of the colourful lights that decorated the tree that year. Her little hand was being gently held by her mother, who smiled seeing her daughter's joy. The girl had been silent while eating the cookies with chocolate. She had been angry, or maybe disappointed all the time, but her mother knew very well how that could be fitted. Only one obsession would spare her daughter from another obsession: The tree. So she had suggested to go there and take a look for a while, see Santa and the reindeers and the elves, and the other kids, and people singing... In short, all the magic of Christmas that surrounded the tree and that she knew her daughter loved. At first, she had been reluctant. She was still thinking of her angel... But then she started to forget a little bit and enjoy the lights. The lights... For some reason, her daughter loved those colorful lights more than anything else.  
Her mother looked at her after standing there for a long while, and pressed her hand gently: "Well, honey... Don't you think it's time to go back home and sleep?"  
Annie turned to her grinning and nodded: "We come back tomorrow," she said, as her mother started to walk with her to the car.  
The young woman smiled again and nodded: "Ok... If you're a good girl."  
Annie frowned and nodded very self-reliant: "Yeah, I will be good, mommy. You think my angel likes the tree, too?"  
Her mother listened to her, a little bit worried about that obsession of her daughter, while she let her go to open the door of the car. She didn't see the lights coming. And Annie didn't see them either.  
"Honey..."

& & & & &

"Oh, Chris, I love your grandpa," Bianca said, hanging herself from his arm, lovingly.  
The young Elder laughed: "Me too... But something makes me think that your love is just a convenience."  
Bianca eyed him and shook her head amused: "Of course not! The fact, that Victor offered himself to take care of Hope while you and I go for a relaxing walk on our own, has nothing to do with that love." That made Chris laugh even louder, and Bianca did so, too. Then she shook her head and talked smiling very feebly: "I'm serious, Chris... You know what I mean. Everyone has changed... From our other future to this one. Even your parents, or aunts, somehow. But your grandpa is the same person. He does the same things for you in both timelines." Chris nodded, smiling weakly, too, as he pressed Bianca's hand.  
They were arriving at Union Square. The lights of the tree were magnificent that year, maybe because of the snow... Chris knew how much Bianca loved that place. She had always loved going to see the tree every time she could, because it was (according to her) magic, even in those terrible years in which everything was destroyed in their other timelines. The tree was always there. With or without lights, always.  
"Yeah, I know what you mean. He's a very special person..."  
"He learnt an important lesson," Bianca added, staring at him as they walked.  
Chris nodded again, knowing what she meant by that: He had been a bad father. He never seemed to care about his daughters, maybe just because he was scared, who knew. But what Chris knew was that he had been more than a father for him, and was being more than a grandpa for the three children. He was not that scared of magic anymore... Or love had been more powerful. "He's a good man. There should be more like him."  
At that moment, a truck was coming closer, dangerously fast. It had strong lights, but it was not making any noise to warn pedestrians. Chris could not react, but Bianca pushed him aside, and she herself jumped.  
"Oh, crap! That man is mad or what?" she swore.  
But Chris's eyes turned to the direction the truck had. There was a woman and a girl. They had not noticed, and they would not do it in time. Chris looked around, took a quick glance, and then orbed to them, pushing the girl and her mother to the side, right before the truck had passed by them.  
Bianca held her breath. If someone had seen him doing that... She didn't want to think of it, of the hell they had been through weeks before. The memory was still too fresh.  
The truck didn't stop. It just went on, and finally crashed against a building. Thank God, at that time of the evening, there was no one inside those stores.  
People started to surround Chris and the two women and also the truck, talking fast and scared, and excited. Bianca ran to Chris, who was starting to stand up, a little bit injured. When she reached him, he helped the woman and the girl to stand up, too.  
"Oh, my God... Annie, are you ok? Thank you a lot mister... I..." she said while revising her daughter's little body to see if she was ok. But she stopped all of a sudden, seeing who he was.  
Chris was also shocked, but Annie was just smiling: "I knew you'd be back."  
"Chris!" Bianca exclaimed, reaching them and making the witch turn to her: "You ok? What the hell...?" But she shut up seeing the woman and the girl. "Are you ok, do you need an ambulance?" she asked, looking worried. Had they seen Chris doing what he did? "No, Miss, thanks... We're fine... Thanks a lot..." She took little Annie's hand. "We should..."  
But again, a voice interrupted them. People were talking around, some had gone to the truck and seen the driver: "He's dead. He probably had a heart attack, or something..."  
"Oh, God..." Annie's mother murmured softly: "Poor man..."  
Chris and Bianca looked in the direction of the truck, sadly. That man had not been able to enjoy his last Christmas.  
"Mom! Listen to me! Do you believe me now? Do you see his colors? He IS my angel. I told you!" again, all the eyes met on Annie.  
Bianca felt all her body tense. They had seen him. But Chris was simply shocked: "I am..."  
However, Annie's mother interrupted him: "Don't worry," she said, her eyes welling up in tears. "She's just a child. But if you don't want, we won't say anything."  
"Oh, no... I..." Chris looked at Bianca, not knowing well how to start or what to say: "I think... See, madam, I am not what your daughter says..."  
But the woman shook her head: "I don't know what you are, but you don't have to worry. This is not the first time I see..." Now Chris and Bianca exchanged looks surprised. "I'll give you my... phone number..." The woman wrote it on a paper and gave it to him: "Maybe I can explain it to you at another moment. Annie, we have to go." She smiled at them again and thanked Chris for saving them. Afterwards, she helped the child in the car and she seated in the driver's side, started the motor, and headed home.  
Chris saw how they left, and how ambulances and police cars were coming, and said nothing until Bianca made him turn and said: "I guess... You need to tell me something." She was worried and confused; those two had seen him, but it seemed their reactions were kind of weird, and no one else appeared to have seen him orbing.  
Chris just looked at her, still shocked by what just had happened. Bianca shook him to make him 'wake up'. "What the hell was going on here...?" she asked more and more worried by every second that passed.  
Chris shook his head: "I don't know." Then he turned into the direction, where the car had disappeared. "That girl... I've met her this morning in the toy-shop," he said then.  
"Huh?" Bianca made him turn to her again. Now she was completely confused. Or was Chris going nuts?  
"This girl came to me and told me that I'm her angel!" Chris exclaimed, more of frustration than of anger.  
Bianca looked around nervous, but no one seemed to have heard that. Then she turned to Chris: "Not so loud... We better go home..."  
Chris shook his head. "No, grandpa would suspect that something happened, when we come back so early" he said. Then he added, "I don't want him to worry, ok?"  
"Ok," Bianca agreed, "but still, let us go somewhere else..."  
Chris nodded. Then he looked her into her eyes lovingly: "What about 'our spot'?" Bianca beamed at him and agreed.

* * *

_(Chapter 3 written by Belén and Chrissy.W.x)_


	4. Chapter 4

**A Charmed Story - Part Twelve:  
A Halliwell Christmas Carol  
Chapter 4**

After Chris and Bianca had finally returned, Victor wanted to go back to the manor, but the couple invited him to stay a little longer, to have a drink and some chat. So they sat down in the living room, drank some tea and were talking lively while Hope slept deeply in her room.  
"You really did a great job with this play, honey," Bianca agreed with Victor, "you really can be proud of that. So stop saying that it 'wasn't that much'!!"  
Chris grinned: "Ok, ok... It was a hell lot of work, but it was worth it... satisfied?"  
Bianca nodded and went over to him, to sit on his lap. "I love you, baby..." she whispered to his ear and kissed him deeply.  
"Hey, we have a guest..." Chris complained, when they separated again. Then he turned blushing to his grandpa and smiled shyly: "Sorry..."  
Victor grinned: "Don't worry... actually I'm very happy to see you both like this... after all that you told me, I am happy that YOU are happy."  
All three chuckled about that. Then they turned their discussion back to the upcoming days.  
"Piper will have a lot of work with that dinner, this year... how many people will be there? ...Ten? Fifteen?" Victor asked.  
"The last time I counted it had been eleven, fourteen with the kids... but who knows what else happens until tomorrow..." Chris joked.  
"Yeah but don't worry," Bianca added, "I will help her, and Chris also as long as Hope will let him..."  
"Oh... Don't worry about that. I still know how to take care of a small child," Victor said smiling, and suddenly remembering how small Piper had been at that age...  
"I would never doubt that," Bianca said and then stood up. "I'm going to the kitchen, do you want something?" she asked pointing at his empty cup.  
"Oh no, thanks." Bianca nodded and went to the door.  
"Hey... why don't you ask me if I want something?" Chris pouted.  
His wife turned around and grinned: "Because I know what you want..." Then she entered the kitchen.  
Victor grinned at his grandson: "You are a lucky man, do you know that... you have a wonderful family here..."  
Chris smiled back at him: "Yeah, I know..." And while he said that, he thought about all the good things which happened to him in the past months... no, in the past one and a half year. His life wasn't perfect of course, but he wouldn't want it any other way...  
Victor observed him a moment, thinking back to their earlier conversation. He was still curious what all this angel stuff was about. And he could tell that something was bothering Chris. Victor had the feeling that his grandson wasn't as happy as he seemed to be. So he sighed and said: "Chris, if you want to continue our earlier discussion, then..."  
"No," the Elder-witch interrupted him a little too quick, "there is nothing more to talk about."  
Victor could tell it was a lie. He wanted to add something more, when suddenly bluish orbing lights filled the room, startling him. But Chris got up to his feet, already knowing who it was, and patted his grandfather's shoulder. "Don't worry," he said. Then he went over to pick up his little brother who had just materialized.  
"Hey Wyatt," he said to the sleepy boy, "shouldn't you be in bed? It's already late?"  
At that moment Bianca returned with a glass of water and a cup of Chris's favorite tea. She nearly dropped both when she saw who was visiting them. "I'm calling Piper," she said then, after the first shock.  
Meanwhile Wyatt yawned. "So why aren't you sleeping?" Chris asked again.  
Victor watched with amazement how obviously good Chris was at handling children. But then he turned worried when he heard the boy's answer.  
"Christopher crying... can't sleep..." Wyatt mumbled sleepy.  
Chris frowned: "Did anything happen?" But the boy shook his head.  
Meanwhile Bianca talked to Leo on the phone: "Yeah, Leo it's m... Ye... Yes Le... Yes... He's here! Yeah, he's here... he said Christopher was crying? ... Oh... oh-ohhhh... Yeah I see... Well he can sleep here, that's no problem... Yeah, alright... See you... Good night..." Then she hung up the phone.  
"What happened?" both men asked at the same time.  
Bianca smiled: "Seems mini-you is getting his first teeth... he's screaming since half an hour already... And before you ask, Leo just complained about that Piper wouldn't let him help the boy..." And when she saw the looks of confusion she added: "...what I perfectly understand. At least that's something every child has to go through...That's something natural."  
Chris shook his head, while Victor grinned: "She's just like your mother..."  
Chris nodded: "Yeah... too bad!" Bianca stuck out her tongue to him, but he ignored her. Instead he turned to his grandpa. "It seems our meeting is over now... Wyatt should sleep and all we have is this sofa so..."  
"Don't worry, Chris, I understand... And I guess I'm more needed at home anyway... because I know an old medicine for that problem..." He winked at him. Chris nodded.  
"Ok," Bianca stepped to his side and took his arm, "I'll shimmer you home and by the way I'll grab some things for our new guest..."  
Victor agreed. Then he said good night to Chris and Wyatt, before both disappeared.  
Chris sighed a little sad about that sudden end of this nice evening. "Are you angry at me?" Wyatt asked looking at him with now wide opened eyes.  
Chris turned to him frowning. Then he smiled. "Of course not," he said, while he sat down his brother on the sofa, "I told you that you're always welcome here, whenever you want." Wyatt nodded while Chris gapped a blanket and tucked his brother in this improvised bed. "Now sleep ok?"  
Wyatt nodded again, and moments later he was deeply asleep.

& & & & &

"Hey," Victor said when he entered the nursery. Christopher was still screaming in Piper's arms, while Leo sat in the chair and rubbed his temples.  
Bianca followed right after the man and went over to the sideboard. "I just pick up some clothes for Wyatt for tomorrow morning..." she said, "we'll bring him back after breakfast."  
Piper and Leo nodded and after another 'good night' the Phoenix shimmered back home.  
Victor meanwhile observed the frustrated and tired parents for a moment, then smiled.  
"What?" Piper asked.  
Her father shook his head: "This reminds me so much of the time, when you and your sisters had been so small like that!" Then he went over and took the boy from Pipers arms. "Alright Christopher... Now let's see if we can calm you down..."  
"Dad I don't..." Piper said, while the boy was still screaming, his face red from the effort.  
"Piper," Victor said calmly. "I managed to calm you and your sisters down, when you got your first teeth and I think I still have the right feeling for doing that again... Just my special recipe for calming down someone... Trust me it'll work..."  
Piper frowned: "Ok... So what is it?"  
Victor grinned: "Ahhh... no. This secret is only passed on from man to man..." He winked at Leo who couldn't help smiling. Then he turned to Piper again: "So... would you leave us alone now, so that I can show your husband how to do it?" His daughter frowned, still suspicious, but then left the room and closed the door.  
"Alright... What is that secret?" Leo asked as he walked over to his father in law.  
Victor still grinned: "Whisky..."  
"WHAT??" Leo exclaimed shocked.  
But the old man gestured for him to calm down: "It had been the seventies and Patty and I... well, we were young... AND NO, you shall not make your son drunk..."  
"But..."  
"But at least Piper left, so you can do your job and help him..." Victor explained his plan.  
Leo smiled: "That's very creative Victor." Then he held out his hands over his son to lessen the pain.  
"Well Leo, if you want... I don't mind if you call me Dad..." Victor offered while he observed how the little boy calmed down.  
The Elder was surprised by that offer. He and Victor had been never really close. That only changed after Chris's marriage. Since that time they kind of grew together. Leo smiled warmly: "It's a pleasure... Dad."  
Five minutes later Christopher was asleep again and Leo and Victor left quietly his room.  
"So?" Piper asked, standing in the hallway. "How did you do that?"  
Victor and Leo just grinned at each other. Then the latter turned to his wife: "Dad's family secret... only for male members, remember?"  
Piper was a little startled. "Dad?" she asked her husband surprised and then smiled: "That's good..."  
Leo put his arms around her and pulled her close to give her a kiss. "I think we should go to bed now," he stated. And without turning around he said: "Good night Dad..." Then he orbed himself and his wife back to bed.  
Victor chuckled as they disappeared. 'Really the best Christmas in a very long time...' he thought. And humming 'Jingle Bells' he went over to his room...

& & & & &

"YEAH!!" Cole raised his fists to the air.  
"Shhhhhhh..." Phoebe placed her finger on his lips, "or he will wake up again."  
Cole looked at her with a fearful look: "Oh God... please no..."  
Phoebe grinned, he was so cute. Then she kissed him again. "You know..." she said between kiss and kiss, "when we... have... our own... you'll... have to... deal with... that... too..."  
Cole backed away a little to look her into the eyes. "You sure that it is a good idea to talk like this, right now?" he asked trying to sound serious, but failed miserable.  
Phoebe slapped him on his chest. "Cole Halliwell, that's not fair!"  
Her husband couldn't help laughing. Phoebe turned over to sit on him and tickled him so that he laughed even more. "Pheebs..." he gasped between the laughter, "I need... please... air... breath..."  
Phoebe smiled at him, lovingly. Then she bent down to him. They looked into each other eyes for what seemed an eternity.  
"I love you," Cole said and pulled a streak out of her face.  
"I love you, too," she replied and then they shared a passionate kiss.

& & & & &

"Why didn't you let me talk to him a little?" Annie asked, while her mother tucked her into her bed.  
The woman sighed. She didn't know what to do. On one hand she wasn't sure about what had happened; if things had been like she thought she had seen. Everything had been going so fast. The lights of the car, and then that man pushing them down… Yeah, she thought there had been a light before he was there... but it could have been a reflection or something, because she only saw it from the corner of her eye.  
On the other hand this was kind of familiar to her, it reminded her a lot of Annie's father, Danny. But she wasn't even sure if that had been real.  
And those colors her daughter seemed to see... God, she was worried to death about that. She didn't know what Annie meant exactly by those words, because she had seen nothing like that. With her husband, she had seen them, those 'angel-lights' how he had called it, but not with this man... She wished she and her husband hadn't talked about that so often to their daughter... before he died.  
She sighed frustrated. Before Danny had died everything was so bright, so wonderful, so fascinating. But now she was afraid of all that. She was afraid that someday someone will take her daughter away like they took away the man she loved so much.  
That's why on one hand she wished, that they had never met that kind man, even if he had saved their lives. But on the other hand... could they escape that? At least her daughter had it in her blood, hadn't she?  
But Annie was still waiting for an answer: "Baby... it's already late, you have to sleep now, or otherwise Santa will not bring you any gift..."  
"But mom," the girl complained.  
Her mother sighed: "I told you, if he's your angel, you'll see him again... Just like you did today." Annie smiled and nodded. The woman smiled back at her child, but inside she desperately hoped she would be wrong. Because all she wanted for her daughter was a normal life.

& & & & &

After Bianca had returned, she and Chris went to bed, too. After that long day, the Phoenix fell asleep within a couple of minutes. But Chris couldn't rest, his mind couldn't rest.  
With a sigh he sat up in his bed and rubbed his eyes. 'What the hell is all this angel stuff about,' he thought. He shook his head and while he did so, his eyes fell on the sword which was still placed in the corner, next to their wardrobe. He sighed again deeply, because again he wondered how he should ever deal with all that... Wasn't being a witch already enough? Did he really have to become an Elder and the headmaster of a whole school...? And that damned sword. Why had it to be his...? And now he should also be an angel for a girl he never saw before... whatever that meant exactly. He rubbed his temples. That was all too much... He turned around a little to look at his wife. "And I also need time for you and Hope," he whispered.  
Then Chris shook his head again and stood up. He walked over to the sword and sat down on the ground in front of it, watching it. Since the day he got back from the Middle Age, since that day he had pulled it out of the stone, to prove his words to his family, he hadn't touched it anymore.  
To be honest, he was a little afraid of it. The power he felt scared him and he still was afraid to end up like his brother did... once... in another life.  
Slowly he raised his hand to touch the handle. But when his fingertips made contact he suddenly wasn't in his bedroom anymore. No... He was at the lake, the stone and sword still in front of him. And also Vivienne.  
"Why are you afraid Chris?" she asked him.  
Chris blinked once, twice... "What is this? A dream?"  
"Not really," the Dame of the Lake answered.  
Chris frowned. He could feel the grass under his bare legs, but how could he get to this place. This couldn't be real, could it? "But you're dead, aren't you?" he asked.  
The woman nodded: "Still I'm kind of bound to the sword, same as you."  
"So... why am I here?" the Elder-witch asked confused.  
The woman smiled and knelt down next to him. Looking into his eyes, she answered: "Because you need me."  
For a moment none of them spoke any word. Then Vivienne started again: "Chris, I know you're scared. I can feel it. But there is no need to. Excalibur belongs to you. You're meant to have it."  
"I know," Chris muttered.  
"Then, why are you afraid?"  
Chris grimaced: "You haven't lived my life... so how could you understand?"  
Vivienne nodded: "Maybe... But you did. You know how the sword is acting in the wrong hands... and you know that your hands are the right ones... So why are you afraid?" And with the last words she grabbed Chris's right hand and took it to the sword, made him hold the handle tight in his hand.  
Chris was shocked for a moment when his skin made contact with the cold metal. Then he felt the power again, streaming through him. It was exciting and scaring at the same time. But how strong this power was, how strong the feelings were he felt from that, all that felt good, positive.  
Vivienne slowly took her hand away from his. "Does that feel wrong?" she asked with a smile.  
Chris shook his head as he pulled his hand back: "No... it doesn't."  
"So you see... there's nothing to be afraid of," she smiled again at him and he nodded.  
"But what about the rest? ... Excalibur isn't the only thing I have to take care of in my life. What if all that is too much to handle?"  
Vivienne smiled: "One step after another Chris. Just take one step and then think about the next one."  
"Chris?" Bianca asked suddenly.  
The Elder-witch turned around and was back in his room, sitting on the ground in front of the stone.  
"What are you doing there, baby?" his wife asked confused and sleepy.  
"Did I wake you up?" he asked back and stood up.  
"No... I just noticed you weren't next to me, and then I saw you sitting there... is something wrong?"  
Chris smiled. Of course he had never left his room. He knew it... This had to have been a kind of vision, he was sure, even if it had seemed damn real. "No... don't worry... everything is fine," he said and then crawled into the bed again, pulling his wife close into his arms.  
"You're worried about that girl..." Bianca stated.  
Chris nodded: "But tomorrow is still early enough to deal with that. I guess for a start I'll call her and ask if she got home safely..." He sighed wondering if that was a good idea, to call her on Christmas Eve. But then he turned to his wife, looking into her eyes: "Now I just want to sleep... here... with you, the most perfect woman in the whole world, lying in my arms." He smiled and kissed her nose.  
Bianca smiled sleepy and mumbled something that sounded like "love you." Then she fell asleep again. Chris looked at her for a little while and then he drifted of to dreamland, too.

& & & & &

The huge red demon was lying in his bed, staring into the darkness of the stony ceiling. It was far beyond midnight, but still he wasn't able to rest. He felt so sorry for his friend, and he felt the need to cheer him up.  
Julian wanted to visit his family that day, like every year... but they had kicked him out. They had sensed his dark side and therefore kicked him out. "How could they..." Belthazor mumbled. He couldn't understand that those people, his parents and siblings, didn't see what he was able to see... That Julian was a very fine person, with a huge feeling of justice. But his family only saw what Zankou had done to him. Only his old grandmother had invited him for a diner on Christmas Eve, just for the two of them. Belthazor shook his head, at least one person, who was able to open her eyes and see.  
He sighed again. He knew that Julian missed all that Christmas-stuff. After all, he was still human. Belthazor rose, shaking his head. He had to do something.  
Determined he went over into their computer-room. There was a telephone, connected to the world of the mortals, mainly for Julian's internet-connection. Then he took out a flyer he found a few days ago and dialed the number.  
He heard it ringing... once... twice...  
_"Halliwell.._." mumbled a sleepy voice on the other end of the line.  
"Cole?" Belthazor asked.  
It took a moment, then came the answer: _"You?? How did you get this number...??"_  
"You're flyer. 'Need a lawyer in a very 'special' case? Then call Cole Halliwell...' Found it down here in a bar," the source explained.  
_"Yeah, but there I also wrote, that the office is open not before January 2nd, and surely not in the middle of the night... You nearly woke up Phoebe..."_  
Belthazor grinned, but said: "I'm sorry... but I needed to call you without Julian noticing it... I need your help."  
_"My help?"_ Cole asked still sleepy but with a tone of disbelieve.  
"You know it's about Julian..." Belthazor said and then explained all that happened.  
_"And now?"_ Cole asked when he had finished.  
"I thought I give him the Christmas he deserves... But I can hardly go up there and buy a tree and decoration and all that stuff, you know... I guess I would scare the people a little," the source replied grinning.  
Cole sighed: _"So I shall buy you a tree - as if that was the easiest thing ON Christmas Eve - and all the other things and bring them down to you?"_  
Belthazor smiled: "Yeah, I hope that you would be so kind... I mean..."  
_"Yeah, yeah..."_ Cole interrupted him. _"I see what I can do..."_  
"Ok," Belthazor replied, and his voice sounded kind of happy, "Julian will be away tomorrow from 8 pm to about 11 pm... So it would be the best to bring the things around that time... So that I can surprise him."  
Cole sighed again. _"Surprise?? Ok... if you want it like that... But now let me go back to sleep... Bye."_  
"Good night, Cole."  
_"Yeah... dito."_ And with that, Belthazor heard that connection broke.  
The source smiled while he hung up the phone and went back to his room. That was the best idea he ever had, and Julian would be happy.

* * *

_(Chapter 4 written by Chrissy.W.x)_


	5. Chapter 5

**A Charmed Story - Part Twelve:  
A Halliwell Christmas Carol  
Chapter 5**

_"Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle all the way..."_  
"Arrrrgggg, stop it, stop it, stop it!!" Piper yelled desperate. She had taken the pillow and was covering her face and especially her ears with it.  
Leo, by her side, sighed tiredly, and then turned on his side to embrace her. "Sweetie... It's Christmas..."  
"Yeah, this is Christmas, this is Christmas every year, every damned year!! She always does the same thing, Leo. Wake up early, very early, go to the kitchen and start preparing breakfast in MY kitchen after playing those stupid carols at SIX in the MORNING!!"  
Leo was smiling and finally broke laughing: "It's just one day a year, honey..."  
At that moment the baby phone went one because baby-Chris started to cry loudly. Piper grumbled angrily and took the pillow away from her face: "Once a year... And see what she gets, huh?? Damn it!!" She sat up in bed.  
Leo stood up sleepy and went to the nursery. A short moment later he was back, with baby-Chris in his arms: "He'll love Christmas in the future, too, you'll see..."  
"Oh, yeah... I SEE it, actually... I guess Phoebe had a lot to do with that, repeating this stupid tradition year after year..."  
"Shhhh... It's ok, Chris..." Leo was murmuring, hugging his child lovingly. "This is also because of his teeth, Piper... Don't blame Phoebe and Christmas for this..."  
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, sure..."  
At that moment, not only the radio, but Phoebe's voice could be heard, singing the Carol of the Bells, mixed with the painful cries of the baby.  
"Thanks God Wyatt is not here..."  
"Breakfast!! Come on, come on, come on, family!! It's almost Christmas!! We have to enjoy the entire day!!" That was Phoebe's calling.  
Leo turned to look at Piper, and she looked at him, sighing. "Poor Cole... I hope he was ready for this." she said, heading to the bathroom.  
Leo followed her with the eyes, knowing that Piper wasn't really angry - just tired. Then he cradled Chris more in his arms: "Shhhh... sweetie... It's just your crazy aunt..." he said, sneering at the fact that the baby was, after all, healed from his pain and that he was actually crying because of Phoebe.

& & & & &

"Hey, Stevie... Honey... Wake up..." Nicki was half sitting, half lying on the bed she shared with her boyfriend, caressing his cheek and talking softly to his ear. "It's time to wake up..."  
Steve moved to lay on his back, stretched and smiled, all that without opening his eyes. "What time is it?" he asked.  
"Time to get up, sleepyhead! Remember we have to meet Tom and Veronica to buy that present for Chris and Bianca!" Nicki said, slapping his face very softly, just jokingly.  
Steve groaned annoyed, but then sat on the bed and opened his eyes, rubbing them first. "I'm still not sure if we should do that... with those demons on my tail..."  
"I know... but we are four powerful magical beings and if things turn bad, Tom can shimmer us back to the school any time."  
"I know..." he sighed. "Maybe we should have done that even a little earlier... I don't like last-minute-shopping."  
"You said you had a lot of work, honey. With all the preparations and stuff."  
Steve looked at her funny face, and sighed: "Yeah, you can say it... I also spend too much time with my mom."  
Nicki raised her hands in defense: "You said that, not me." Then she shrugged: "Anyway, we didn't have the time... Tom was also busy and Veronica had to visit her aunt, so don't complain now. Come on, let's go!" She instigated him as if he was a horse, which made him angrier, but Nicki just laughed.  
"Ok, ok... I am on my way..." he said as he stood up and staggered towards the bathroom. Nicki observed him sneering from the bed. He was so funny when he was just awake!

& & & & &

When Piper finally got out of the bathroom, she still looked kind of tired. It was past eight when she went down the stairs to hear some voices and laughter from the dining room. 'Seems, there are some more people up already,' she thought. But when she turned around the corner, she was kind of shocked.  
They were ALL down there already. Victor was there, trying to feed Christopher. And Chris and Bianca were there, too, talking lively, while Wyatt giggled because Leo did something funny - as it seemed. Cole was there, with his wife sitting on his lap, and they both were chatting in a lovely way. Also Paige was fully awake, even if she still looked like she would need another can of coffee. The only person sleeping was Hope. The oldest Charmed One really couldn't believe that.  
"Morning!" Piper muttered as she went over and sat down, next to Leo.  
"Good morning mom!" Chris said with a huge grin on his face.  
Victor chuckled and said, turning to his daughter with a wink of his left eye: "Seems your oldest had a really great night."  
Chris looked at him as he slowly realized what his grandfather was implying. Then he grimaced disgusted: "Grandpa...!! God, I was just sleeping..." Everyone laughed heartily.  
"So why is everyone so much awaken?" Piper asked then, and when she noticed the rich filled table she added: "And who the hell did prepare all this?"  
She took a piece of bread and some cheese, while Phoebe grinned at her: "First: It's Christmas Day, Piper!! And second... Well... O.k., o.k., I have to confess that I had some help, by your two wonderful boys."  
Piper smiled: "Two? You mean..."  
"Wyatt helped me with the pancakes," Chris explained. Piper nodded, still a little overwhelmed by all that.  
Victor, who was just eating a pancake with his free hand, smiled: "When it comes to cooking, your boys definitely come after you, Piper."  
Piper just smiled back unsure what else to say. But Leo just pulled her close: "Relax sweetie... It's Christmas." Then he gave her a kiss on her nose.  
Piper smiled back: "Yeah... so it seems..."  
Meanwhile Cole had stood up and went over to Chris. "Can we talk for a moment?" he said to him, trying to gain not too much attention.  
Chris nodded and turned to his wife: "I'll be right back." She nodded and gave him a kiss.  
At that time Victor spoke again: "Piper, honey... I wanted to thank you."  
"For what?"  
"For all this!" he said gesturing at the family. "For inviting me, for letting me be a part of this."  
Piper smiled, slowly more awake, and reached across the table to take his hand. "You ARE a part of this, and you're always welcome, dad," she said smiling.  
"Yeah dad... you belong here," Phoebe agreed. And also Paige nodded, even if she wasn't his daughter. It almost felt like she was.  
"Thanks," Victor said, his voice heavy with emotions.  
"When will we decorate the tree, daddy?" Wyatt asked then.  
Leo chuckled. "Well..." he said. "You and your big brother bought a huge tree, so... what do you think when we start right after breakfast?"  
The small boy beamed at his father happily: "Oh yeah!"

& & & & &

Cole and Chris were meanwhile at the kitchen, and the witch had informed his nephew about the phone call he got the night before.  
Chris was frowning: "And you think you'll be able to get all this stuff? ... TODAY? God, Uncle Cole! Do you have any idea how much people are out there, trying to get some gifts in the last minute?"  
Cole nodded: "Yeah I know... But... I guess he really feels sorry for Julian, and I wanna help him..."  
"Yeah..." Chris sighed. He wanted to help, too, but he really didn't know when he should do that. He had promised his father and Wyatt to help decorating the tree, and he and Victor wanted to have some talkings, too. And then Michael and Angela would come later. And there was still this phone call he had to do... But then he had an idea.  
"Well, you know what? I guess..." Chris started. But right that moment Paige entered the kitchen. "Need more milk," she said with a smile.  
The two men just nodded. Then Chris turned closer to his uncle and whispered something to his ear. Cole smiled widely: "Sounds good..."  
"What are you two talking about?" Paige asked then, while she was on her way back from the fridge.  
Both men turned to her. "Well..." Chris said putting his hands in his jeans pockets.  
"Nothing really important..." Cole said, with that weird look on his face, like a little boy who's got a new plan to make some nonsense. "Just male-stuff..." he added then, when he saw Paige, mistrustful look.  
"Fine," the witch-whitelighter said and went back to the others. Chris smiled at his uncle, then the two followed her.

& & & & &

Michael yawned. His wife had just opened the curtains and now the cold winter-sun was shining directly into his face, waking him up merciless. The last evening he and his wife had spend reading that entire letter again and again, while outside the snow kept falling.  
It had snowed the whole night. Only early in the morning it had stopped. That was also the reason why his wife kicked him out of bed so rudely.  
"Honey, come one, wake up," she said again, "you need to clean the way to the garage... otherwise we won't be able to drive to our friends later."  
He sighed: "Just five more minutes Angy..."  
Angela chuckled and sat down by his side, caressing his cheek. Michael took her hand and with a quick movement, pulled her into his arms, next to him. He pulled her even closer smiling and kissed her: "Marry Christmas, baby."  
"It's only Christmas Eve... and we've still a lot to do..." she complained, but smiled.  
"Yeah, but I don't have to work today... and it's still early in the morning..." Michael chuckled kissing her again. "And the gifts are already prepared, same as the cake... The clothes are chosen , the bags are packet... and that little bit of snow..."  
"10 inches they said in the news..."  
Michael sighed: "Whatever... that'll be done quickly, with a Christmas carol on the lips..."  
"Ok," she sighed, giving up. Then she crawled under his blanket snuggling closely into his arms.

& & & & &

"Mommy, mommy, mommy!" This was the first thing the poor woman heard early that morning. She stretched her arms and turned to the side, feeling how her body jumped in the bed at the same time as her daughter did. "Wake up, mom! It has snowed again!! Come on! Let's go play with it!"  
"Darling, it's too early..." she answered with her eyes half open, but the little girl insisted that they had to go out and play.  
"Christmas is short, mommy! And we never have snow here, come on..." she begged.  
Her mother finally had to make an effort and sit on the bed, rubbing her eyes: "Ok... Ok... Let's go.. But first mom needs her breakfast, and a good shower, alright??"  
Annie nodded happily, jumping off the bed, while her mother stood up staggering a little bit, still tired from the short sleep she had had. The young woman had spent the whole night thinking of the man who had saved them, of angels, and of Danny, of course. It was Christmas and all that was so dammed weird! What if... what if it was some kind of signal from heaven?  
Suddenly she was pulled out of her thoughts, when Annie pulled on her shirt. "Mommy? Can I?"  
The woman smiled and looked down at her girl: "Sorry sweetie, what did you say?"  
"I wanna have a pancake with chocolate, can I?" Annie repeated her question.  
"Sure you can, today you can have everything..."  
Annie smiled over her whole cute face, her eyes sparkling with joy. Then she jumped out the room, singing the song of Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer.  
Her mother followed her with her eyes and sighed, then went to the bathroom.

& & & & &

"No mom, let me do this," Chris said as both, he and his mom, stood up to clean the table.  
They had just finished their breakfast and everyone was heading to whatever he or she had to do that day.  
"And I'll help, too," Victor said smiling. "There is nothing else I have planed for this morning so, please Piper... relax."  
"Yeah," Phoebe agreed with a singing voice, while walking out of the room, "you will have enough work later, when you cook our dinner."  
Piper rolled her eyes and sighed. Bianca laughed. "Don't worry, I'm going to help you with it."  
"I know sweetie," Piper replied smiling, "thanks..." Piper knew it would be a hell of work to prepare the dinner for so much people, but she knew it would work, because she knew her family would help and after all it was Christmas.  
Right that moment Wyatt came running into the dinning room again. "Chris! CHRIS!" he yelled and jumped to his brothers arms.  
"What's wrong?" the Elder-witch asked frowning.  
Wyatt smiled: "Dad said he needs you. He said the tree's too big for him. We need your help..."  
Now Chris chuckled hugging his brother tightly. Then he placed him on the ground again. "Tell dad I'll be there in a minute or two... I just have to help mom and then I have to make a phone call... When that's done, I'll be there for you two... ok?"  
"No..." Wyatt pouted. "Help now!"  
Chris sighed and knelt down so that he could look into his eyes: "Hey big boy... I need to help mom, otherwise she won't be able to finish the dinner later... and the call is really important... but I promise to hurry, ok?"  
Wyatt seemed to think about it for a moment the he asked: "You really promise?"  
Chris nodded: "Yeah, I do... Just a couple of minutes, ok?"  
Wyatt then nodded and went out of the kitchen. But in the doorway he turned around: "If not, Santa won't bring you gifts tomorrow." Then he ran away.  
Chris just looked at him, shocked for a moment. Then he, and all the others in the kitchen, began to laugh.

& & & & &

When Phoebe went through the hallway, Wyatt passed her as fast as he could. "Hey, take it easy boy!" she called after him, but he didn't listen.  
Then she saw her husband coming down the stairs and walking over to the coat rack to grab his jacket.  
She frowned: "Cole? Where are you going?"  
The man turned around to her and then blushed. He had hoped he wouldn't meet her before he left. He wasn't sure if she would understand.  
"Ok, what's wrong?" she asked then, when he kept silent.  
"Nothing" he said, looking down at his feet. "I just promised someone to help him with buying some Christmas-stuff."  
"Someone?" the empath asked as she went closer to him. "Someone who?"  
He sighed: "Belthazor... He wants to surprise Julian..."  
Phoebe just looked at him shocked. She didn't know what to say, she didn't know what to think. "You mean he... but that's..."  
"I know..." Cole interrupted her, "it's weird... But you didn't hear him, when he called last night. He really seems to care about Julian. Actually he was really pissed when he told me that Julian's family had kicked him out because of what he is…"  
"He called last night??" Phoebe asked shocked, she hadn't heard anything. Cole just nodded. "And Julian was kicked out?? On Christmas??" she asked as all the information sank in. Her husband nodded again.  
For a moment both kept silent. Both didn't know what to say at that point. Phoebe's mind was spinning... She had noticed that Belthazor was anything else than a usual Source, but a Source of all Evil that celebrated Christmas? Then again she felt sorry for Julian, too.  
"Hey, everything's fine?" Chris asked as he went into the hallway. He picked up the phone and looked at the couple.  
"Yeah, everything's alright," Phoebe said and Cole nodded.  
Chris nodded, too, before walking up the stairs to the attic, to make his phone call.  
Phoebe then turned to her husband. "Give me five minutes..." she said and went over to the door to their room.  
"For what?" Cole asked after her.  
"I'm coming with you... you need a least someone with a little bit of taste..." she replied grinning and disappeared inside their room.

& & & & &

"Ok..." Nicki sighed, leaning against the back of her chair, "I give up."  
The four of them were sitting in the warm interior of a Starbucks in downtown for a little second breakfast, seeing through the windows the snow beginning to fall again, and all the people that by now filled the streets, hurrying from one place to another, carrying Christmas presents. They had their own bags with them, too, placed under the table, but they still had work to do...  
"There must be something..." Veronica intervened with a tired expression on her face. Tom's arm was surrounding her back lovingly.  
"The problem is we bought all the other presents long ago, but since we just wanted to be together for Chris's present, we screwed it up! Why is it so difficult??" Nicki exclaimed, frustrated.  
Steve caressed her cheek and sighed: "We'll find something for him... as we already did for Bianca."  
"Yeah, but what? What is good for me is not for you, or Veronica..." Tom replied, gaining a punch from his girlfriend. "Ouch!"  
"Maybe we all should get our own gift for him…?" Steve suggested. Through they wanted to buy something together, this might be the easier solution. Not that anything they had seen so far had been a real option for anyone of them.  
Veronica shook her head. "People I think we just need to think about it better. It cannot be that hard..." she said, ignoring his complaint.  
Nicki moaned and leant her head on her arms, over the table: "I just wanted to give him something special... This is the first real Christmas he's gonna spend with his family in the past, no distrust, no hide things... He deserves something good. Not a... simple movie, or scarf or whatever. Something..."  
"Something he can always remember and keep..." Steve finished for her. "I know, you repeated that all the time. Ok, maybe we just need to revise the list again..." he added, unfolding a sheet of paper on the table.  
Tom sipped from his glass of coffee before placing himself nearer his friend to have a look, and Veronica smiled at Nicki. "Maybe we're just making it too complicated. Chris might be happy with something less... hard to find, don't you think so?" she asked.  
Nicki raised her eyes, sad, but then a bright illumined them: "Oh... what about... using magic?"

& & & & &

They had a short but very hectic breakfast. Annie wanted her pancake and after she had eaten half of it, she just wanted to go out.  
"No," her mother had said, "first you finish breakfast, then I get you dressed and then we go out... or do you want to get a cold on Christmas Eve?"  
That had finally silenced her daughter and she had eaten the rest of her meal.  
Now they were in their little hallway and the woman pulled her daughter some warm snow-pants on.  
"But I won't be able to run around in those pants..." Annie complained.  
"Those will keep you warm," her mother said, and pulled her on a fitting coat, a hat and some gloves. She had got all this stuff from her friendly neighbor, who often went for skiing with his family. She herself, with living in San Francisco, never thought about buying this stuff on her own before.  
After that, she got quickly dressed herself. Then she took her keys and the hand of her smiling daughter.  
"Can we finally go now?" Annie asked unable to wait any minute longer.  
Her mother nodded smiling: "Alright... let's build a snowman in the park." And then both left their little apartment.  
Only a minute after her mother had locked the door, her phone started to ring... but she was already in the elevator and wouldn't hear it.

* * *

_(Chapter 5 written by Belén and Chrissy.W.x)_


	6. Chapter 6

**A Charmed Story - Part Twelve:  
A Halliwell Christmas Carol  
Chapter 6**

"No-no-no-no-no!" Piper exclaimed right that moment when Chris entered the living room. Looking around he saw that she was talking to Leo.  
"You can't put the tree in front of the windows, we won't have any light in here..." she said pointing at the windows leading to the sunroom.  
Meanwhile Bianca went over to Chris and whispered: "And?"  
He looked at her shrugging: "Didn't talk to her, guess she wasn't home."  
Bianca smiled at him sadly. She knew how much that little girl messed with his mind, and she didn't want him to worry, not today nor tomorrow, not on Christmas. "I'm sorry," she said and gave him a kiss.  
"Chris!" Leo called him, interrupting the couple, "could you please tell your mother that this is the only place for the huge tree?"  
Chris let his eyes wander through the whole room, especially Wyatt's sad face, then he nodded: "Yepp... and at this time of year, we haven't much light in here anyway..."  
Piper sighed, raising her arms in frustration. "Do what you want," she said, "I'm in the kitchen."  
Victor, who was playing with Hope and little-Chris in the other corner, chuckled, while Piper left the room.  
"I'll help you," Bianca said, following her mother in law.  
Chris went over to pick his little brother to his arms. "Everything alright?" he asked.  
"Mom is angry," the little boy stated, "she doesn't like the tree."  
"Oh no, son," Leo said smiling, "your mom is just... well, she has too much to do."  
"Yeah," Chris added, "I'm sure she'll love the tree when it's ready." Wyatt smiled relieved. Then Chris looked around: "Where is Paige?"  
"I'm here," she said and Chris could see a hand raised behind the sofa, soon followed by his aunt's head, covered by one of their fairy lights. The family had decided that with three little kids, electronic lights would be a lot safer and now Paige had to untangle the cables and check the lights.  
Chris couldn't help laughing when he saw her. "Very funny," Paige pouted.  
"Come on Chris," Leo said, "can you hold the tree for a moment?" The Elder-witch nodded and let Wyatt down, then he went over to his father, to hold the huge tree which was even larger than he himself.  
Leo meanwhile knelt down to set the tree in the stand. Wyatt helped him.  
"That's really cute," Victor commented looking up at them.  
Chris chuckled observing his grandpa taking care of the two small kids: "Yeah, you too..."  
"Is it straight?" Leo asked.  
"Not really..." Chris replied. "Turn it a little to the left..."  
The tree moved a little...  
"Good...??" Leo asked.  
"I'm not sure... grandpa?"  
"It's good, I would say," Victor said and couldn't help chuckling more. To him it seemed that positioning the tree was the hardest task Leo and Chris ever had to deal with... it was really funny, and he enjoyed watching them.  
"Ready?" Chris asked his father, who turned the last screw. And for a moment Victor thought his grandson's eyes looked a little... He wasn't sure. Sad, maybe? But as soon as this came it was gone again.  
"Is it sable?" Leo asked.  
Chris let go of the tree. It moved a little to the left but stood still. "Yeah, it is…"  
"Ok, then it's ready," Leo said as he rose again, "we can take of the net."  
And so they did. About a minute later, half of the room was filled with the full green branches of the tree.  
Wyatt smiled, his eyes wide: "That's really huge!"  
Chris smiled, too, when he saw those sparkles in his little brother's eyes. Then he took the boy to his arms again. "Come on champ," he said, "take the star."  
Leo held the box with the huge golden star in front of Wyatt's nose. The star was made of glass with lots of sparkling powder on it. And it was meant for being on top of the tree.  
Wyatt took it carefully and Chris lifted his brother up in the air. Smiling widely, and with a little help from his father, the little boy placed the star on top of the tree.

& & & & &

Flopp - Another scoopful of snow flew to the side. Michael was working since 20 minutes and hadn't even managed to get half of the way free. 'More work, than I had thought,' he told himself and sighed.  
The cleansing department had already freed the roads with their huge cars, so that wouldn't be a problem. Still there were about 15 yards from the garage to the road that had to be freed. He liked the snow, really he did, but... not on his driveway. And to top it all, the clouds had become thicker again. It seemed like it would start to snow again soon.  
Michael and his wife had quite a good morning. Now she was in there, in the kitchen, where it was warm, and cleaned the dishes from their late breakfast. Meanwhile he himself wasn't sure if his fingers were still there... He never thought it could get that cold in California.  
Suddenly he felt someone patting his shoulder. Surprised he turned around to see his wife standing there, a cup of hot coffee in her hand.  
"Thought you could need something to warm you," she said and gave it to him.  
Michael smiled as he took it and carefully took sip after sip.  
"You don't have to hurry that much," she said then, "we still have a lot of time."  
Michael nodded: "Yeah, but I thought about going there a little earlier... First of all it seems like it'll start to snow again soon, and it's not like our friends live around the corner. And then... I wanted to ask Chris if we can..."  
"You want to go with him to that reservation, outside the city...??" she asked, knowing very well what was going on in his mind. "Honey, today is Christmas Eve. Don't you think that can wait a little?" She understood that he was curious to find out more about that Amy, but on the other hand...  
"I know, I know... it's just, I want to know. But I do know that it's Christmas and, be sure, I don't want to push Chris to go there today, I just want to tell him what we found out before the diner, that's all."  
"Promise me?" Angela asked worried.  
"Promise!"  
Then he put the now empty cup to the ground next to the scoop and grabbed his wife by her waist. He lifted her up and threw her into the snow hills besides their driveway. Laughing heartily they both tossed and turned around, enjoying the white gorgeousness like two little children.

& & & & &

Steve sighed when the four friends left another shop. "That's useless," he muttered, "We'll never find the right gift."  
Veronica and Nicki nodded in agreement. They had no idea what to get for Chris. They had agreed earlier that it should be something magical or magical related, and on the same time it should be personal... But what exactly?  
Chris was half-witch and Elder, he was the owner of Excalibur... was there anything they could give him that was more special then those things he already had, something that could surprise him maybe?  
Nevertheless they had gone to several stores for magical equipment, still they hadn't found anything that was good and special enough for him.  
"That's frustrating!" Tom exclaimed and again the others just nodded.  
"And now?" Veronica asked after a moment of silence.  
Nicki took Steve's hand and caressed it. For a moment their eyes locked and they smiled at each other lovingly. Then Steve said: "We'll go on... we still have two more shops on the list to check."  
The others agreed even if Tom started to get a little grumpy. So they went into a small and empty alley and everyone grabbed the other's hand. Then the half-Phoenix shimmered them to the other end of the city.  
"Where do we go now?" Veronica asked when they had taken solid form again.  
"_'Spencer's shop for mystical accessoirs and common potions'_," Tom said and pointed at the exit of the backyard they were in, "right around the corner." Steve grinned at his friend before he took the lead.  
When they reached the shop the women frowned. "Are you sure we're at the right place?" Nicki asked.  
The shop looked not very welcoming. It was dark and you could hardly see inside, through the dirty windows. And the paint on the wall was gone, too... the whole building looked like it could crash down any minute.  
"Yeah, we're right," Steve said, "Tom and I had been here often when we were younger... to get the stuff we needed for school..."  
The girls shrugged, but let the men move ahead, following them a little hesitatingly.  
Inside the shop was as unwelcoming as it had been from the outside. It was dark and dusty and... God, had that been human eyes in that glass on the shelf? And this, right next to a glass with sweets?? Nicki and Veronica couldn't help the feeling of being in a freak-show.  
"Good morning, how can I help you?" an old man said, appearing behind a curtain.  
"We're searching for a gift... it's for a special friend of ours." Steve said, while the girls instinctively stepped back a little.  
"A special friend, I see..." the old man said. He looked like he hadn't had a shower in ages... He scratched his chin for a moment then asked: "Is he magical?"  
"Yes," Tom said, simply.  
The man nodded: "I guess, you already searched through a lot... if you got here on Christmas Eve, I would say you hadn't been successful." The four friends nodded.  
"Well," the man went on, "finding the right gift isn't a matter of value... it's a matter of the heart." He made a break looking at them, then he smiled: "You know what? Search through this shop, you can turn every stone in here... and I'm sure your heart will show each of you the right gift for your friend!"  
"Thanks," Steve said and started to walk around, same as Tom. The women hesitated a moment, eyeing the owner of the shop suspicious, but then did the same.

& & & & &

"Phoebe? PHOEBE?" Cole called. But there was no sight of his wife. He was standing in front of their car, a 5-feet tree holding with one hand while he had some mistletoe in the other. And he was freezing... God, he was so freezing.  
He and Phoebe had split up as soon as they had seen the chaos in the mall. So he went to buy the tree while Phoebe wanted to take care of the decorations. After that they wanted to meet at the car again.  
But Phoebe wasn't there... He was already waiting, leaning against their car (Phoebe had the keys), freezing since half an hour!  
'Never let a woman into a shopping mall on her own,' he thought sighing.  
Then he saw someone waving in the crowed. And then he saw Phoebe's smiling face approaching him. She really seemed to be in a great mood, no... she was absolutely Christmas-crazy that year... And she was carrying six bags!!  
"Hey Cole," she exclaimed when she reached him. She placed the bags into the snow and pulled her husband down to kiss him. "Missed me?" she asked then.  
"Actually yes, because I'm freezing since forever..." Cole said, not even a little amused at that moment, "where the hell have you been?"  
"Oh... you shouldn't swear on this day..." Phoebe said and kissed him again. "And... I'm sorry..."  
Cole grinned: "This is not going to work..."  
Phoebe kissed him again.  
"Phoebe... I..."  
And another kiss.  
"Ok," Cole sighed when she finally let go of him, "I forgive you..."  
Phoebe smiled at him, and kissed him another time, but this time Cole pushed her softly away. Then he pointed at her bags: "Did you buy the whole shop?"  
The empath giggled: "No... Only Christmas-ornaments, some candles, angels, a little singing Santa Claus, glitter balls for the tree of course, a nutcracker..."  
"A nutcracker?" Cole couldn't believe it.  
"Yeah," Phoebe replied.  
"Don't you think that you exaggerate this a little?"  
Phoebe looked at him frowning, tilting her head to the side: "Do you want to give Julian a real Christmas or not?"  
"Yes I do, but..."  
"No but's, we need all this!" Cole sighed defeated. Then Phoebe noticed the tree: "Isn't that a little too small?"  
Cole looked at the tree himself. It wasn't huge, that was true, but it wasn't small either. And it had a good shape, through Phoebe couldn't see that because of the net. But Cole was sure that it would fit perfectly into the cave. "No... it isn't! B.'s cave isn't as large as the manor... that tree will fit perfectly. And... it was the best one they had left..."  
Phoebe shrugged. Then she looked at her husband concerned. "Baby, oh my God... you're freezing!" she exclaimed, and immediately started to unlock the car.  
"Oh nice, that you notice..." Cole muttered shaking his head.  
Phoebe quickly put all the bags on the backseat and then they pushed the tree through the back door into the car, too, so that the top of it was already touching the front window.  
"What about a dinner?" Phoebe then asked.  
Cole giggled: "Chris had the idea to steal the leftovers from our dinner, since he believes there will be enough left."  
Phoebe grinned now, too: "Oh we have a very wise nephew, don't we?" Then she locked the car again.  
"What? Why did you...?" Cole asked.  
But Phoebe just grabbed his hand and pulled him back into the mall. "We still need some gifts and you really need a coffee to warm yourself," she explained, smiling.  
Cole rose his other arm in defense and muttered: "So let's go and fight the crowd again..."

& & & & &

"...When the ghost left, the evil man was left alone again in his house, and... do you know what happened then, Wyatt?" Chris was telling little Wyatt a story as he hugged him while they were both sitting on the sofa.  
The child shook his head, very serious, hard-thinking probably. They both had stayed for a while in the lounge after setting the tree, while the others had gone back to their activities. Actually, the two of them were so focused that none of them noticed the presence of Victor, who was leaning against the frame of the door, smiling full of love.  
However, Chris didn't see him. He smiled at Wyatt and went on: "Well, it happened that another ghost came!"  
Wyatt opened his little eyes a lot. "Was it a bad ghost??" he asked, but his brother shook his head, hugging him more strongly.  
"It was a good one. A little weird maybe... But he was good, though the bad man didn't know. It was the ghost of Future..."  
"Christmas!" Wyatt added at the same time as his brother, who laughed and rubbed his hair.  
"Yeah, that's it... It was the ghost of Future Christmas. Actually he had come to show him the evil future he was creating... He wanted to show Mr. Scrooge how the future would be, if he kept on being so mean, and..."  
"But Mr. Crooge was bad... And bad people like doing bad things, so Mr. Crooge likes bad things..." Wyatt said, trying to understand the whole thing.  
Chris looked him in the eyes, also a little bit distressed: "Actually, I don't think he was so bad, Wyatt. I thing he just didn't realize he was doing bad things. He was good, but he needed to be taught and shown the good ways... Understand??"  
Wyatt nodded, not really understanding the whole thing, but at that moment another voice distracted them.  
"The Christmas Carol of Dickens! Nice choice..." It was Victor, who had decided to finally enter grinning at his grandsons. He was really moved by that scene, but had noticed that Chris's version of the tale was changing slightly.  
The oldest raised his eyes at him and smiled a bit ashamed: "Hey grandpa... I am telling him our favorite Christmas story! You used to tell it to me, remember??" No, of course, he didn't...  
Victor sat by his side, and patted his knee: "So you're telling me that I am to blame for your... obsession with time traveling??" He laughed.  
Chris also laughed slightly and lowered his eyes. "Kind of..."  
Wyatt didn't understand what they were talking about, but the story had to have an ending, so he pulled at Chris's sleeve and begged: "But what happened with him, Chris?" Victor smiled, too, and looked at him, waiting for the ending.  
"Well..." Chris was, however, kind of confused now. "Wy... I mean... Mr. Scrooge saw all the wrong he was gonna do, so he decided to change and... he turned good, helped people, saved the child that was gonna die, gave money to the poors, and..."  
"And he lived happily ever after," Victor said, caressing the child's curls. Chris smiled, staring at him, but with other images in mind while his grandfather continued. "And all that thanks, especially, to the ghost of Future Christmas!" Now Chris bushed. But Wyatt was just clapping his hands very happy.  
"Ok... Guess we can tell mom the story later, brother. Just go play with your toys and I..."  
"YOU... and I" Victor intervened, placing his hand on Chris's knee when he was starting to stand up.  
Chris sat down again, kind of confused, but the man went on: "You and I have a conversation waiting, don't we??"  
Chris stared at him confused for a moment, while Wyatt had already left their side and was on the floor playing with those little cars he loved so much, but then he smiled, realizing what his grandpa meant: "Oh... Yeah... The angels stuff."  
Victor nodded immediately and repeated: "The Angels stuff. What happened, son? I know you Chris, you wouldn't come up with a topic like this without a reason. And I can see that something is bothering you, so spill it..."  
Chris looked him in the eyes, and then sighed, resting his back on the sofa: "Nothing worrying, grandpa, I told you..."  
"You wouldn't worry if it were not worrying."  
Chris had to smile, and surrender. Victor had always understood him so well! Actually, that had been so in both timelines, and maybe in all those others he didn't remember now, too... He and Uncle Cole... Such two special people in his life. Chris had to thank them both for being who he was, no doubt. And now he had to speak, or Victor wouldn't let him go.  
"Well... Ok. I was shopping in the mall with Bianca, when this little child... Annie, came to me weeping and said I was her guardian angel. Period."  
Victor furrowed his eyebrows and immediately afterwards he smiled softly: "But she's just a child... She might have just seen in you that great person you are, or maybe... she might be a witch... There's nothing weird in that, actually you are..."  
"NO! I'm not, I told you! I am NOT a guardian angel! That's different, grandpa. That's just fantasy! Nothing real! I don't think guardian angels exist at all."  
Victor looked in his grandson's eyes, shocked for his reaction. The boy seemed to be irritated, but... why?? "Son... I didn't mean... Ok, listen. We talked about this, yeah. And you have to understand that all this magical stuff is hard for me. I don't see the difference, I..."  
"There's a huge difference. Magic is real. I AM real. But angels, that kind of angels, are just a myth!"  
"Well, right..." Victor didn't want to argue, and Chris's attitude had changed for some reason, a reason he wanted to find out, actually, so he decided to leave things that way. "But as I said, maybe she is a witch and felt you were a whitelighter. Period."  
Chris laughed a bit sarcastic: "You cannot feel that... And she said she DID see my colors - whatever that means. And the worst is, her mom wants to talk with me, too. I tried to phone, but no one answered. I don't know what this is about, this is ridiculous, don't you see?? The thing I less wanna hear about right now is angels. Angels and miracles are things that don't exist!"  
Victor listened to him patiently, and frowned. "Wait..." he said finally, pensive, "you don't believe in them, or you just don't wanna hear about those things, because they... disappointed you??"  
Chris looked in his eyes, and felt his own distress when he swallowed. His eyes went wet now... "It's ridiculous, that's it," he answered simply.  
Victor stared at him, worried, and then patted his knee: "Come on, Chris. You can talk to me." He paused, feeling Chris's eyes avoiding his. Then continued, suddenly remembering: "You said... You stopped to believe in angels when..." he paused. He had said he had stopped to believe in Santa when he was seven. Also in angels... And in those things.  
Chris nodded: "Actually... when mom died, some years later. That helped..."  
"Chris..."  
"No. Forget it. That's not the question, and I should just talk to that woman and find out what this is about..."  
"Chris," Victor insisted, holding now his hand. "This is about YOU. This is about your faith..."  
Chris laughed, but said nothing, keeping just his eyes fixed on little Wyatt while he played with the toys.  
"Everything happens for a reason, son. You say that, and my daughters say that and I have realized that it's true. Have you... Have you stopped to think that maybe you don't need to help that girl?? That maybe... she's helping you??"  
"Me??" Chris looked at him confused. "I don't need any help, I..."  
But Victor smiled: "She's gonna help you get your faith back Chris. You believe in witches, magic, whitelighters... But this is Christmas, and you don't really believe in the Christmas spirit, son. You don't believe in the Christmas miracle."  
Chris tried to smile, but the tears that were fighting to go out, finally ran down his cheeks. He sobbed a little bit and tried to stay calm.  
Victor smiled understanding, and pressed his shoulder as he said: "I hadn't stopped to think that these are one of your first true Christmases since you are here..."  
Chris swallowed. "These are my first true Christmas since almost ever, grandpa, even though it's already the third time I celebrate it in the past... Present. Whatever," he said with a very weak and sad voice, but smiling. "I mean... last year was nice. But Christmas were not so... You know? We had other things in mind, other worries, and other things to think about, like... myself or better mini-me having been conceived and all. And with that demon on our tail, who fried the little tree we had. And to top it all with Phoebe's ex showing up… I don't know, Christmas... it just passed by... And that was good, because I... I just didn't want to remember the previous year, you know?? The first year I was here. That was like a... like a nightmare. They didn't trust me, they even hated me, and I had to live with that, and keep on. You don't know how hard it was to... to look through the window and see they were having fun while I was freezing outside. And then I was on the bridge all the night... I even fell asleep there, wishing that Leo came for me. Wishing that something happened, and they finally realized that I am who I am, without my own intervention. But guess what, grandpa, no miracles!" He laughed sarcastic.  
Victor pressed his shoulder again, kind of surprised for those revelations: "They... didn't invite you??"  
Again, Chris laughed: "Oh, they did. I just didn't feel like going... I wanted them to beg me to go. Or maybe I just wanted them to know who I AM, and don't feel forced to invite me just because I didn't have a family... Isn't that ironic??" Actually, Leo had told him short before that, that he was NOT family... Chris had been so hurt at that moment... However, it was not the time to bring those memories back. And Victor was not helping...  
The old man nodded, understanding: "I see... Ok, let's do something. Call that woman, talk to her, to the girl, and think about all that. And then we can talk again. And you'll tell me if you don't really believe in Christmas anymore."  
"But I do, I believe in..."  
Victor shook his head: "No, you don't, Mr. Scrooge. Actually it seems to me that all you worry about is that everyone is happy, but while you do you forget about your own happiness. So who knows...? Maybe you need a little trip along your life, too."  
Chris frowned, still feeling his eyes wet. He hadn't really thought of himself as Mr. Scrooge, actually his version of the story was a different one, but...  
At that moment, Wyatt patted his knee. "Are you sad??" he asked innocently. Again, the little child was feeling his sadness. And Chris felt bad for that.  
He took him in his arms and hugged him tightly. "No, buddy, I am fine. These are the best Christmas ever," he said with no intonation... Then he looked at Victor out of the corner of his eyes, and nodded as he smiled. He was so damned right... He had been behaving as an idiot all that time, hating snow, complaining about long lines in the mall, and just pretending that he was happy, when all those memories said he wasn't for Christmas anymore.

& & & & &

"Can you give me the salt please?" Piper asked, while sipping again on the sauce for the turkey... There was still something missing.  
Bianca handed her the box with a smile and then went on talking: "I still can't believe that we're doing this, Piper... I hope we didn't overdo it... I mean... cooking for 11 and a half persons... what if we..."  
"If you don't stop talking I'll never find out what's missing," Piper shot back, trying to not let the anger control her.  
"Sorry," Bianca muttered.  
Piper sighed and turned to her. "Don't worry, we can handle that. I was the chef of a restaurant... I KNOW what I'm doing."  
"Yeah, I know... I just want this to be perfect for Chris, you know."  
Now Piper smiled: "Well I guess we all do." Then she frowned and asked: "When will Michael and Angela arrive?"  
"Oh, I'm not sure..." Bianca answered, "Angy called a while ago and said that they will come a little earlier because of all the snow and because Michael wants to talk to Chris about something..."  
Piper nodded. Then she took out a bottle of some other spice, which Bianca couldn't identify from her position, and poured a little bit into the sauce, before she tasted it again. "Much better," she announced then.  
Bianca tasted it, too, and gave a joyful "mmmmmmm" as only comment.  
Piper laughed and cleaned the space on the table where all the bottles with different spices stood. Then she turned to her daughter in law again: "What would you say if we ask Michael and Angela to stay over night?"  
Bianca turned to her frowning: "What?"  
"Yeah, I mean... it just started to snow again and who knows what the streets will be like tonight. And they have also gifts for the kids... so they could wait until tomorrow and we open all the stuff together..."  
Bianca looked at Piper and smiled widely. Then she hugged her: "Oh thanks Piper... that would be great!"

& & & & &

"Do you really think this is gonna work??" Nicki was squatting by the shelves at the back of the store, thoroughly looking through the objects shown on them, while Veronica tiptoed next to her, doing exactly the same thing with the upper shelves.  
She shrugged at Nicki, without taking her look away from the shelves. "Don't know..." she answered distractedly, "it's worth giving it a try... There's nothing better to do."  
Nicki sighed as she stood up and dusted her hands on her jeans: "Hello?? What about worrying... I mean, REALLY worrying about that present?? This is..." She snorted impatient. "This is useless!" she exclaimed in a whisper.  
Veronica turned to her and smiled, uncertain. "Well... Tom and Steve said this is a good place and..."  
"This is a pigsty!" Nicki answered back, grimacing and sneaking a look at the shop assistant. He seemed to be concentrated on his own papers and works, but she couldn't say that he was not actually spying on them over his glasses.  
However, Tom and Steve were at the other end of the store, doing the same as them, and very conscientiously. Veronica shrugged again: "Anyway. Maybe we're not searching properly..."  
"Of course you are NOT!" The voice of the man behind the glasses started the hell out of the four of them. "You don't even know what you're looking for!" he said immediately.  
Tom frowned: "Well, elementary, my dear Watson. We told you... We're looking for a present for a good friend, but we don't know..." As he explained, the other three youngsters kept staring at the man, somehow afraid of him.  
The old man interrupted him here: "I don't mean that... I mean... You're not using your heart. You're looking for something beautiful..." And he turned to Nicki. "Something original..." he added by looking at Veronica. "Something useful and magical." Now his eyes were on Tom. "And something huge and outstanding." And this comment was addressed at Steve. All of them lowered their eyes uncomfortably. "But you all didn't ask you heart what you really want to buy for him."  
"Well, how are we supposed to do that?" Veronica ventured cockily.  
The old man smiled enigmatically: "Don't think of what you'd love for you... Think of what he is like. Who he is. And what he means for you." He said in almost a whisper. Then he stood there looking at them for a moment, and finally turned.  
"Ok..." Steve sighed going back to his task, but before he could even start, he was again startled by the old man's voice.  
"Oh! And remember... You can look through the entire room... Not just the shelves!" And he winked at the girls, who looked at each other questioningly.  
Tom smiled, and shook his head. He knew that old man. He just didn't understand him. The four of them went back to their searching, with even more doubts than before.

& & & & &

"I'm really excited about this..." Angela said looking out of the window of the car while Michael slowly drove down the main street. There were still lots of people running around trying to get the last gifts. But even if they all seemed to be in a hurry, there was that little magical something, that let everyone be in a good mood, that let everything seem to be just bright.  
"What do you mean?" Michael asked looking shortly at her before he turned his eyes back to the street in front of him. It had begun to snow again slightly so he had to be careful.  
"All this... to celebrate Christmas after all those years... and to celebrate it in the company of such good friends." She sighed: "I'm happy that things are clear now, that this can be true, be real, without any secrets..." She paused and looked at her husband to see him smile. "And I'm excited about how the kids will look when they see their gifts."  
Now Michael laughed: "Well I guess they'll smile and laugh and be very happy..."  
"Yeah, I hope so..." Angela replied giggling.  
Then the man turned serious again: "I hope Chris will like his gift, too."  
"Oh I'm sure he will," Angela said, caressing his shoulder.  
Michael nodded: "Yeah... I guess so. I hope - whatever happens tonight and tomorrow - that it'll be a good Christmas for him."  
His wife nodded understanding. Michael had told her, that Chris never had a real Christmas when he was young, nor in later years. And even last year they didn't really celebrate.  
"It will," she finally said. "It'll be the best Christmas ever, for all of us."  
Michael turned again to her and smiled: "I love you, you know that?"  
She laughed: "Yeah I know..."  
A few minutes later they finally reached their destination and Michael parked the car in front of the Halliwell-manor.  
Angela sighed, looking at the red house, which was now decorated with some electronic lights, which let it shine in the brightest colors.  
"Shall we go in?" Michael asked looking at her with a smile.  
She turned to him and nodded: "Yeah... let's go..."  
They both left the car and grabbed their bags, before heading up the stairs.  
They didn't even have to knock because Bianca was already there and opened the door.  
"Hey you two," she greeted hugging Angela tightly. "I saw you from the window... how was your ride?" she asked. But when she noticed that their friends were freezing she pulled them in quickly.  
"Oh, hello Michael, Angela! Merry Christmas!" Leo said, who came down the stairs right that moment and went over to help their guest out of their jackets.  
After that Michael went into the living room where he had spotted Chris while Angela followed Bianca into the kitchen.  
"There is something me and Piper want to talk to you about," the Phoenix said cryptically.  
"And that is what?"  
"You'll see..."  
"And where is Hope??"  
"Sleeping... same as Christopher..."  
Leo followed them with the eyes, while they disappeared from his view, before he went over to the living room, too. He saw how Michael picked Wyatt up to his arms and smiled. Then he cleared his throat. When Chris turned to him he said: "I need to go up there to talk to Odin about the party... I'll be back in a couple of minutes." He felt really bad about the fact that he had to go, even if it was just for a few minutes, and he hoped that Chris knew that.  
"Alright... I call you if we need you," his son said with an understanding smile. Leo nodded and then orbed away.  
Victor observed his grandson with interest. Since Michael arrived he seemed more relaxed and that was good... He knew that this young man was an important factor in Chris's life, he needed a friend like him. And Victor was happy that that young man and his wife would be there with them for dinner. He hoped that this would put Chris more at ease.  
Michael meanwhile put Wyatt down again and then turned to Chris: "You will never believe what we found yesterday..."

& & & & &

Annie and her mother were outside in the snow. They had been walking around in the park for a while, before they found a calm place to build their snowman.  
Annie loved the snow. Actually it was the first time she experienced snow for real. And it seemed she couldn't get enough of it.  
They had put together three balls of snow and put it each on top of the other. Now they were searching for something to make eyes, mouth and nose.  
"What about this for the nose?" Annie asked, holding up a piece of a branch.  
"That's perfect," her mother agreed. Then she spotted some small stones, over there where they had taken the snow for the man, and said: "And here we have eyes and mouth..."  
Annie giggled happily as they went back to give Mr. Snowman a face. When it was done, they both looked at the snowy sculpture with a smile, agreeing that this was the best snowman the world had ever seen.  
"C'mon, let's make a photo!" Annie exclaimed happily, her cheeks red from the cold and the excitement.  
Her mother agreed, glad to see her daughter so happy after last day's events. So she took dozens of pictures while Annie was posing in front of the snowman.  
Then it started to snow again slightly, and it also became a little windy.  
"I think we better go back now," the woman said.  
Annie looked back at her mother with a sad expression on her face. "Noooo..." she said, "I wanna stay and make another snowman, or let's make some angels in the snow... like they did in that TV show..." And with that she let herself fall into the snow. And lying on her back she moved her arms and legs up and down to create the image of an angel in the snow...  
Her mother couldn't help laughing and then with a shrug she let her self fall into the snow, too, copying her daughter's actions. After all, who knew when they would get this chance again – snow in San Francisco. And so they both laughed happily.  
Then Annie stopped and looked seriously at her mother. "Do you think real angels like the snow, too?"  
The smile on the woman's face immediately vanished. She had hoped her daughter could forget all that stuff, but it seems that wasn't possible. She sighed and then answered: "I'm not sure... maybe they do..."

& & & & &

Meanwhile on the other side of the town, Phoebe was sighing frustrated. Holding up the snowstorm globe, she exclaimed: "Ok then tell me what's wrong with that!?"  
"There is nothing wrong with that... I'm just not sure if that's the right gift for someone like Julian..." Cole explained.  
Phoebe growled frustrated: "But tell me, what is the right gift for him. Do you know that?"  
"No I don't," Cole admitted, "and actually I thought the dinner would be the gift..."  
Phoebe's look softened: "I see... Well, if you think our leftovers are enough... But do you really think that Christmas is perfect without at least one little nice gift?"  
Now it was Cole who sighed. His wife was right, he knew. But still he had no idea what to give to Julian. God, he didn't even know him well enough. All he knew was that he was a witch that got demonic powers and that he was helping his former other half... That wasn't enough to find a real fitting gift. "Maybe we can give him something practical..." he finally suggested.  
"Practical like in...?"  
"I don't know... a pillow, an umbrella... I don't know Phoebe!" Cole exclaimed.  
"An umbrella? Since when does it rain in the underworld...?"  
Cole just shrugged and hoped that no one else had heard this comment...  
"Wait..." Phoebe suddenly said, and idea forming in her brain.  
"What?" Cole asked looking at her, knowing that look in her eyes. She had an idea, and he desperately hoped it was a good one. He hadn't the energy for another useless-gift-fight.  
"Julian, is a geek right? He loves computers..." the empath said. Cole looked at her frowning, then he nodded. "So what if we go back to that computer store and ask if there is anything new on the market... anything he would like to have, maybe... Something useful for him..."  
Cole stared at her for a moment, then slowly, oh so slowly a smile appeared on his face, before he hugged his wife tightly so that she almost let the snowstorm globe drop and exclaimed: "Phoebe you're amazing! That's a great idea!"  
Then he let go and moved towards the exit of the shop: "Come on," he said, gesturing her to follow.  
"Go ahead, I'll be there in a minute!" she said. And when he left she took the snowstorm globe and went to the cash point to buy it, before she followed her husband to the computer store.

* * *

_(Chapter 6 written by Chrissy.W.x and Belén)_


	7. Chapter 7

**A Charmed Story - Part Twelve:  
A Halliwell Christmas Carol  
Chapter 7**

"Oh that smells delicious!" Angela exclaimed when Bianca pulled her into the kitchen.  
Piper smiled a little embarrassed. Then she put down the spoon, whipped her hands clean on a towel and went over to hug their guest. "It's good to have you here," she said to greet her.  
Angela returned the hug warmly: "Yeah, I'm happy that you invited us."  
Then both women noticed that Bianca was smiling in pure happiness and joy, and that she was too excited to stand still for a second. She was so glad about Piper's earlier offer and she couldn't wait to hear what Angela would say. And when they turned to her she exclaimed: "Come on Piper, ask her!!"  
Piper laughed about her daughter in law acting like a child that couldn't wait to open her gifts. It was good to see her so happy, same as Chris.  
Meanwhile Angela looked at both of them confused, not understanding what was going on. How could she? She just had arrived a few moments ago.  
Piper then shook her head and turned to the young woman, who was frowning by now. "Well," she started, "we don't know about your plans for tomorrow, but... the weather is so unsteady and stormy and snowy... and you have also gifts for the kids, so..."  
Angela was still frowning, not understanding what Piper was talking about. But Bianca couldn't take that beating around the bush anymore so she asked: "Do you wanna stay overnight?"  
Her eyes wide, and her eyebrows raised Angela asked confused: "What?"  
Piper smiled at her kindly and let her to the table to sit down, while she took a seat next to her, and Bianca on the opposite side facing them. Then the oldest of the Charmed Ones explained: "We thought that when you drive home later, it'll be dangerous, because of all the snow and the darkness, and maybe the streets will be frozen... And we also thought it would be nice if the kids would open all the gifts tomorrow... with you being here, too."  
Angela was speechless. She had never ever expected such an offer. But on the other hand she felt happy about that, so she agreed: "Of course we stay if you want us to, but only if that really isn't a problem."  
Piper smiled: "No, it isn't. You're welcome here... always."  
Bianca jumped up from her chair again to hug her friend tightly: "Oh I'm so happy that you're staying."  
"Yeah, me too, but I need air..." Angela replied laughing, making Piper chuckle.  
Bianca then grabbed her hand and pulled her up again: "Come on we have to tell Chris and Mike..."  
Piper followed them with her eyes when they left the kitchen. She smiled, happy that they would be all together those days.  
Right that moment, blue orbs appeared and formed into her husband. "Hey," she greeted him and gave him a kiss.  
Leo pulled his arms around her and smiled: "I've overheard your talk... that was a great idea."  
Piper grinned: "I hope so... Where have you been?"  
Leo shrugged: "Up there... Nothing important through, they are just a little nervous about the party, but I'm sure it'll be fun... They just needed someone to tell them that and calm down their nerves."  
Piper snuggled closer into his arms, sighing contented. "You know what?" she asked then, but answered the question right away. "We have a wonderful family..."  
Leo nodded in agreement and held her even closer: "Yes we have..."

& & & & &

When Michael had had entered the living room, Wyatt immediately had ran over to him. So he had taken the boy to his arms to say hello. Then he had greeted Victor and of course Chris, who was really happy to see him. Then Leo had been there to say that he had to go for a moment... But now he had time to tell his story to his friend, to tell him what he found...  
"So what is it?" Chris asked frowning.  
Michael looked at Victor who smiled back at him and said: "I guess I'll see what Piper..."  
"Oh no grandpa... you don't have to leave... I mean..." Chris turned to Michael, "or is it a secret?"  
Michael laughed: "No... not really..."  
Victor nodded and sat down again but was already distracted the next moment, when Wyatt came to him to show him his favorite car.  
Chris and Michael sat down on the opposite site and the first one looked at his friend expectantly.  
"Well... it's about Amy..." Michael said then.  
Chris looked at him confused, not understanding. Who was he talking about? He didn't know any Amy... he... 'Oh my God,' he thought, his eyes growing wide, when he realized who his friend meant. "You mean..." he wanted to ask to be sure.  
But Michael interrupted him: "I mean the Amy we left in the Middle Age to have a happy life with Gareth the young knight she fell in love with..."  
The Elder-witch just nodded: "But what? Don't tell me she's back or something..."  
His friend grinned: "No, I'm sure she's dead since a pretty long time."  
Now Chris looked confused at his friend again. He had no idea what his friend wanted to tell him, his words made not much sense to his brain.  
"Well... I know it sounds weird," Michael went on, "but she wrote me a letter. Angela found it yesterday evening in an old book."  
"A letter?" the Elder-witch asked not believing his ears.  
Michael nodded: "It was somehow magical hidden - at least that's what she wrote."  
Chris just nodded waiting for his friend to go on. This was all so surreal, but he believed his friend, Michael had no reason to make up such a story.  
"She wrote that they managed to secretly escape the death without altering the legend, of course by magic. And when everyone thought Gareth was dead she orbed with him back to America," Michael explained, while Chris just looked at him amazed by what he was hearing from his friend. "She wrote that they finally - after some difficulties - joined a tribe of Native Americans who lived in the area of San Francisco. And by the time she wrote that letter, she had already two children with him, a boy and a girl. She wrote that they lived a happy life here. It seems Gareth needed some time to get used to the simple live of the tribe but then finally they felt like home there..."  
"Wow," Chris muttered. He was glad to hear that they seemingly had the good life she deserved. Even if she had been working against them at first, Chris felt sympathy for her. And even if he knew not much about Gareth, he seemed to him like a very fine man. So yeah, he was happy to know that they had a good life.  
"So you're not angry?" Michael asked.  
"What? Why should I?"  
"Well... Amy thought you'd be angry because this letter is a risk. If it had appeared in the wrong hands..."  
Chris sighed. THAT was indeed true, but... today was Christmas Eve. So he just smiled at Michael and said: "But it didn't."  
Victor who had followed their conversation partly, smiled. It was good to see Chris like this, easy with himself and the world around him, without that little wrinkle of worry between his eyes.  
"Well..." Michael then started again, "I thought... maybe next year, someday, we could try to find her grave... I mean she said, she wasn't sure if she would stay here forever, but... maybe she did. And there is this reservation outside and..."  
Chris smiled and nodded, while Victor chuckled, but more about Wyatt then about the two adults.  
Right that moment Bianca and Angela entered the room, both smiling a 1000 watt smile.  
"What happened?" Michael asked frowning.  
"Well..." Angela said and walked over to him to sit on his lap, "Piper invited us."  
"For what?" Chris now asked.  
Bianca, who sat down by Chris site and kissed his cheek, answered: "They will stay over night. It's saver with all the snow-storm outside, and this way they'll be here when the kids open their gifts tomorrow."  
Michael and Chris looked at each other, then at their wives again and then they both exclaimed: "You're kidding!"  
"Nope," Angela said and gave Michael a kiss.  
"Wow, that's great!" Chris exclaimed and Michael agreed.  
The Elder-witch hugged his wife tightly. Those were really great news. Michael and Angela were his best friends, they were almost family, and them being around on Christmas was like a great gift.  
"So it seems, Piper managed to get all rooms occupied," Victor said chuckling, happy to see that Chris was happy. And he couldn't deny that he liked Michael and Angela, too.  
"But we have nothing with us, no clothes no..." the young man then remarked.  
"Don't worry, we'll borrow you all you need," Bianca explained.  
Chris then looked at his watch... They still had a lot of time before the diner, Phoebe and Cole were still somewhere at the mall and Kyle wasn't there either. He sighed, while his curiosity was getting the best out of him.  
He turned to his friend and smiled: "You know... we still have some time. Do you like to have a little trip in the snow?" And when he saw Michael frowning he added: "I thought we could orb to that place you talked about, and see what we can find... What do you think?"  
Angela who immediately understood shook her head: "Oh no... not today... You can't do that..."  
Bianca, even if she didn't know what's going on, agreed: "Today is Christmas Eve, you will go nowhere, except maybe to the kitchen to help your mom, understand!"  
Victor couldn't help chuckling, while he observed them. He knew Chris very well, and he knew they would leave... sooner or later. But he couldn't think about this much, because Wyatt asked him to play with him, which he happily did.  
Chris meanwhile looked at Michael who nodded. Of course his friend was as curious as him. Then he turned to his wife, playing the puppy-eye-card and said: "Oh come one... we still have so much time, and we'll be only an orb away..."

& & & & &

Julian sat in front of his computer. Distractedly he moved the courser over the screen. There was nothing going on those days. It seemed even the demons took a rest during the Christmas time.  
He sighed. He missed all that stuff... the singings, the tree, the gifts, his nephews and nieces... His family... Yeah he missed his family.  
It was hard to be closed out by them, they just couldn't accept who he became in this past one and a half year. But there was no way back for him so he had to deal with that.  
Nevertheless he cursed Zankou for what he had done to him. As if it wasn't enough to be trapped in his cell for half a year, no, he had to turn him into something, which his own mother had called a monster.  
He shook his head. No, he wasn't like that. He wasn't. He was still him, Julian Marsh, born and raised as a witch, as a protector of the good side. And that's what he still did, didn't he? So why couldn't his family understand?  
"Are you ok?" Belthazor suddenly asked. He had stepped behind him without Julian noticing it.  
"Yeah, I'm fine," he replied, but his voice was a sad one.  
Belthazor nodded: "If there's anything I can do, I..." He stopped, unsure what to say.  
Julian looked at him with a weak smile. And he couldn't help thinking that there was at least one person who cared about him, like his family should do... even if it was weird that this person was a demon. "No, thanks," he said then and rose, "I have to go anyway. I meet the demon from the east in a couple of minutes..."  
The source nodded: "Be careful."  
Julian nodded. "I will," he finally replied. And then, driven by a sudden need, he hugged the demon tightly. That moment it didn't matter that Belthazor was the source of all evil, he knew he was a good person. He was his friend, and that meant so much more to him.  
When he let go of him, and looked in his eyes, he saw a mixture of shock and confusion there, and he couldn't help smiling about that. The source of all evil scared by a little friendly affection - what a funny picture.  
"It'll take a while, I'll go to visit my grandma right after that, just that you know..." he said and then shimmered away.  
Belthazor watched him disappear. Then he smiled, still not really understanding what had happened, even if it had felt good to know that Julian saw a friend in him, too. And then his smile grew even wider when he thought: 'Julian will freak out when he'll be back. He will have his Christmas, the Christmas he deserves.'

& & & & &

Kyle sighed as he leaned back against the chair in his office. It was already his free time, but he was waiting for Darryl. He had promised him to wait for him at the office to take the gifts he had for the Halliwell-kids to the manor.  
Darryl and his family couldn't visit them (even if they had been invited) because they would fly over to LA to visit Sheila's parents. So Kyle did them the favor to pass on the gifts for them.  
Then the young man leaned forward again, his chin resting on his hands on his desk. He sighed, while he eyed the little box in front of him. He had given Piper his presents for the kids a few days ago, but this one was not for them, it was for Paige.  
Again he opened the box to look at that silver necklace he had bought for her. The chain was made of different sizes of rings and there was a little heart put on it. On the left side of the heart there was a little, very little diamond. The necklace had cost him a lot, maybe even more than a little vacation would have, but that didn't matter to him. Paige was worth all of that, even more...  
Right that moment there was a knock on the door, and Darryl entered with a bag. "Hey," he said, placing the bag on Kyle's desk. "Sorry that I'm late, but you know... Sheila had the weird feeling that she forgot something... so it took us additionally half an hour to leave."  
Kyle smiled at his friend: "Don't worry... it's still a while before dinner starts..."  
Darryl nodded: "I wish we could be there, it'll be surely a lot of fun."  
"Yeah, I'm sure of that..."  
Then Darryl spotted the necklace. "Wow," he said. "For Paige?" Kyle nodded. "This isn't a real diamond, is it?" his friend asked then.  
Kyle smiled widely: "It is!"  
Darryl whistled: "Man you really have fallen for her..."  
Now Kyle laughed: "Oh yeah... you've now idea how much..."  
Darryl nodded understanding. Then he sighed: "Alright I need to go. Have a merry Christmas and greet the Halliwells from us."  
"I will, merry Christmas to you and your family, too." Kyle replied, standing up and giving his friend a hug.  
Darryl hugged him back before he left the office with another "Merry Christmas."  
Kyle sighed as the door closed. He closed the jewelry-box with a smile and placed it into his jacket. Then he grabbed the bag Darryl had left on his table and left his office... to have the most wonderful Christmas in his life.

& & & & &

Bianca put her hands on her hips angry: "I can't believe that he just orbed out like this!"  
While they had been discussing the situation, Chris just had grabbed Michael's arm and had orbed out, with a simple "We'll be back on time." He just had left Bianca behind and this was something she so didn't like.  
Angela sighed. It wasn't that she was against all this anymore, God knew she wasn't... But she still didn't like it, when her own husband got involved in those things, even if she knew Chris would always protect him.  
Victor smiled at the two women: "Don't worry, they'll be fine. You know Chris..."  
Bianca and Angela smiled warmly at the man, and then nodded. Yes, this was indeed a typical Chris-thing, running away on Christmas Eve because of something which - if it was even existing - was already there since 1000 years and would surely not run away within the next days... But yes, that WAS Chris... And that's why Bianca loved him, and that's why Angela respected him, so much.  
"Grandpa..." Wyatt said tucking on Victor's jeans, "can we go in the snow?"  
Victor sighed looking at the boy, who smiled at him. "You really like the snow, do you?" And when Wyatt nodded eagerly he stood up and took the boy by his hand. "Alright, then let's see where Piper keeps your snow-dress."  
"In the hallway..." Bianca yelled after him, and saw him nodding.  
Then the Phoenix turned to Angela again. "What do you think? Shall we have a look if baby-Chris and Hope are still sleeping? And before I can quickly show you where you're going to sleep tonight."  
Angela nodded smiling widely and then followed her friend out of the room and up the stairs.  
They went down the hallway to the only unoccupied room that was left. "Here we go," Bianca said and opened the door. Angela looked inside, surprised by what she saw. The room contained all you needed, a bed a wardrobe a table with two comfortable looking chairs, and all was really well decorated.  
"Wow, you really did a great job with all the things you did here. This is beautiful."  
Bianca then noticed that the door to Paige's room was opened and the witch-whitelighter was sitting on her bed. She seemed to be deep in thoughts since she hadn't notice them. The Phoenix frowned. Then she gestured for Angela to go ahead to the kids while she went over and knocked on the door.  
Paige turned around, and when she saw Bianca in the doorway, she said: "Come in..."  
"What are you doing here, all alone?" the Phoenix asked, sitting down besides her.  
The witch-whitelighter shrugged: "Just thinking..."  
"About what?" Bianca asked. "I mean, is anything wrong? Did anything happen?"  
"God, no!" Paige exclaimed. "Be careful not to turn into another Piper Halliwell, my dear." Bianca chuckled. Yeah she almost sounded like her mother in law...  
"No," Paige went on, "I was just thinking about me and Kyle... and if... if he will really like his gift."  
Bianca frowned: "What will be his gift?"  
Paige blushed a little: "Well... me!" By now she was red like a tomato, but added: "Well actually it's a key to the front door of the manor, but... you know..."  
Bianca smiled and hugged her. Then she looked at her with a warm smile: "I guess you don't have to worry about that. Kyle loves you more than anything in this world. And I'm sure he will be more than happy."  
Paige nodded, now smiling too. "Yeah," she said, "I think you're right..."

& & & & &

"So... This i-is the place! Awe-some..." Chris was shaking violently, something you could even say from his tremulous talk; nothing odd, when you're in short-sleeved shirt in the middle of a snow-covered cemetery in the middle of a dying down Indian reservation in the middle of the nothingness! Not surprising that Chris's mood was again a little weird...  
"Told you, we should have taken our coats..."  
"And the scarf, hat, gloves, a lighter, the central heating, maybe some demon with fireballs..." Chris grumbled, with his arms strongly folded so as to cover himself with his own body and warm his cold members.  
Michael held back a laugh, through, only dressed in a pullover, he was freezing, too. Things were not precisely good to make fun, so he just glanced at him out of the corner of his eyes, and sighed. "Right..."  
"Look..." Chris interrupted, turning to him at the time he made some exaggerated gestures with his hands. Actually, that seemed to be good for the cold! "First, you could have told me right before I orbed you here, not when we were actually orbing; second, I never think of wrapping myself in layers and layers of clothes when I orb! I just don't!"  
"Well you should!" Michael answered, defensively, but sort of ignoring him, while he started to look around. There was not much to see. The snow was thick, it had covered the ruined tombs and graves which were so poor, made of bad stone and really old that just a few were still standing. "Orbing or not, you're going out of your warm, protective weird magic manor... And outside, the real world in winter is COLD! And also..."  
"Ok, just shut up. I... Wait." Chris hadn't moved from the place he had orbed to, just seeing, but not really watching, how Michel looked for the grave in question. He was too frozen to move, but now... "No, forget it..." he whispered, closing his eyes until he was just looking out of a thin line. "I'd bet... I had seen someone there."  
Michael lifted his head from a tomb, curious: "You've seen what??"  
"Nothing," repeated Chris, sighing and starting to finally move to another tomb, some feet away from his friend, who shrugged and returned his attention to his grave.  
"Ok, then let's find out if Amy is or was here, and we go back home for that delicious dinner..." Michael answered casually. He had wiped away all the snow that was covering the letters on the stone, and now he was able to read something like: "Kelok Newfound. 1923".  
"Oh, this is too recent..." He sighed, sitting down on the freezing snow. "More luck over there??"  
Chris had finished wiping all the snow with his foot, trying not to get in touch with the ice. He had enough shivering already: "Cherry... No, Chi'r'ry Smith. 1800. Fine." He looked up to his friend: "Look at this place. Just a few tombs which are in ruins... And they belong to the last centuries... We're not gonna find anything from the Middle Ages here. Just think about it... If there actually was a single tomb from the Middle Ages with a girl called Amy Something... We'd already know!"  
"Ok!!" Michael answered exasperated, turning to him while standing up. "Could you just please be a little more optimistic?? Look around you! What do you see??" He had raised his hands embracing everything around with his gesture.  
Chris also stood up. Why was he so moody?? Again, the reason he had given to Victor. But Michael was right, and however... his answer was: "What do I see?? I'll tell you what I see. An isolated domain covered with snow. Snow up, snow down, snow to the right, snow to the left... Some rocks covered with snow. Some stones pretending to be tombs, covered with snow. Snow is cold, sad... and there's no more, because the first little and poor houses belonging to the reservation are several miles away, separated one from each other by at least half a mile, and people now are not celebrating Christmas because hey! They have better things to do to survive here. Oh, and... Don't forget that..." He turned to the building some feet behind him, crossing the road. "That gloomy... school, or whatever it was. You know what?? Children there were kept against their will, they died massively because of the lack of health care, and they were separated from their families, especially from men, obliged to dress like the white man, speak like the white man, eat like the white man, and behave like the white man, under threats of strong punishments if done the contrary; And now I feel that this school is full of angry Indian ghosts that will cast a terrible spell on us, making us turn into those thrilling ice sculptures you have behind!!" And that was how Chris ended his speech, breathing heavily but feeling much better.  
Michael turned to see those sculptures: "Whoaaa... Man, that was a speech." Then he faced Chris again, walking to him. "My turn: I see... I see a very beautiful and romantic place. Kinda Gothic, I know. But this is holy. This was holy for these people, for ... chief Sitting Bull, whatever his name is. And it's... It's beautiful. The ice hanging from the trees, from the rocks, from the cables – modern stuff, I know – from the windows in YOUR school... Those sculptures, as you say... Are just trees covered with ice, and to me these are the most beautiful and wonderful sight in the world. It's like... A fairy tale. The Snow Queen!! And if you ask me if i am scared of YOUR ghosts... Hell, NO! I am the friend of a witch!!" he concluded. Actually he didn't. He would have gone on and on, forgetting both of them what they were doing there on Christmas Eve, if a voice hadn't startled them to death.  
"Aiy-yu-kwee. Kues son'?"  
Michael turned around scared, and Chris stepped back, falling on the snow again.  
"Shit!" they both exclaimed at the same time.  
There was a young man a few steps from Michael. He had been so silent they hadn't even noticed he had approached. And by the way, how had he arrived?? There was no car to be seen, and no house near... Michael and Chris glanced slightly to the school.  
"W-w-w-whaat??"  
"Kues son'?" The gentle-face man repeated, as he approached, and Michael stepped back. Chris stood up now, looking at him in wonder.  
They were facing a young dark-haired man, with a long pony-tail covered with feathers. He was just wearing some Indian clothes, and even... Even a bow. Actually he didn't look like modern Indians... He was more like the ones in movies and books. And he was damn speaking in...  
"What's up? Sorry... I thought you were Yurok, too. It's weird to see Pegrk Munchey, white man, here. Especially on Christmas." He smiled and offered his hand to Michael. "Aiy-yu-kwee, Michael. My name's Wishew Keget. Black Puma, but you can actually call me just Jack. That's my Munchey name." Then he waved to Chris, who was still some steps away: "Hey, Chris. Nice to meet you, too!"  
Michael, who was shaking hands with that... specter, looked at him with his eyes widely open:  
"How..." He turned to Chris, who was even pale. "How do you know our names?"  
Jack, or Keget, laughed slightly. "Sorry I was eavesdropping. That's not very polite, but you seemed to be in a very heated conversation about... this holy site." he remarked, signaling the tombs.  
However, there was something about him that Chris didn't like. Had Michael mentioned HIS name, then?? He didn't remember, but still, the behavior of this Indian was quite interesting.  
"And... Can I ask what you are doing here?? I mean... It's cold, dark... Some dangerous animals could attack you..." Jack showed Chris and Michael his bow, as if it were not evident: "That's why I bring this."  
"Oh... right," Michael said, who was in a state of shock. The first time he saw a Native American. A true one... Like in Dances with Wolves.  
"Yeah, ok, but... Sorry if I am not polite now, but... Is it possible that you have some kind of... obligation? Religious obligation, perhaps, to come at this very same hour to the old cemetery, right when we are also here??" Chris asked, suspicious, and ready to fight or orb, if necessary. No demons lately, wasn't a good signal. And all the angels story... Thrilling.  
"Oh, that... Actually yes. A promise. I promised to my dad that I would be here this very same year, at this hour, if I were alive, to meet some foreigners."  
"WHAT??" Chris and Michael startled and looked at each other, the latter instinctively taking Chris's hand ready to flee.  
But Jack laughed. "Oral tradition. A nice thing you, Pegrk Munchey, have lost! I promised my dad, and my dad promised his mom, and she promised hers, and my great-great-great... whatever grandma promised to her mom like... let me think... a few centuries ago. Whoever was alive in my family at this time, at this hour, in this place, this year... should come and meet two foreigners who would freak out, and probably throw some energy balls... Whatever that means. And luckily you didn't."  
Chris and Michael were speechless. Could that mean that...? But no, they could not say a word.  
And now Jack, Black Puma, was offering his hand to Chris: "So aiy-yu-kwee, wo-hiklaw' ki-me' ke nas and Saa-We-Lek, so let's go somewhere else with some central heating, and talk."  
"Wait... What just you said??" asked Michael, still suspicious.  
"Oh... That's just my welcome words: Hello, thanks for coming and... I'm cold!"  
Chris didn't answer. He didn't move. He just stared at Jack and Michael, and the tombs, and the snow, and the ice on the trees which actually seemed to have been taken from a fairy tale. Gosh it was beautiful, and they... They maybe had found what they were looking for! Kind of... And the best of all: They were gonna find a central heating!

* * *

_(Chapter 7 written by Chrissy.W.x and Belén)_


	8. Chapter 8

**A Charmed Story - Part Twelve:  
A Halliwell Christmas Carol  
Chapter 8**

"What will we tell my sisters?" Phoebe asked from the backseat when they parked the car in the driveway of the manor.  
"What do you mean?" Cole asked back, turning around to her frowning.  
"Well, don't you think someone will notice all this stuff?" she said pointing at the tree blocking the left side of the car and at all the bags with decorations and gifts.  
Cole sighed: "Yeah, that's a problem..." Then he smiled: "So you just have to keep your sisters occupied with something else I guess... Maybe with another Christmas song..."  
Phoebe slapped him playfully on the shoulder. "That's not funny," she said pouting.  
Cole nodded, while opening the door. He left the car and then opened the door for his wife. "I know," he said then, while pulling her out of the car and into his arms. He gave her a soft kiss and then decided: "We say nothing, but if they really notice this stuff out here, while they are all so Christmas-busy - which I doubt! ... Well, then we'll tell them the truth."  
"You're kidding aren't you?" Phoebe asked with eyes wide open. Did he really plan to tell Piper... HER SISTER Piper, that he planed to spend the late Christmas Eve with a demon somewhere in the underworld?  
"No I'm not... Belthazor is family - they already know that, so I don't see any problem there..." he replied holding her even closer.  
Phoebe chuckled shaking her head. "They will kill you... and then they'll kill me..."  
"Yeah... probably..." He made a break and kissed her nose. "I love you," he said then.  
Phoebe smiled at him, with her huge soft eyes: "I love you too..." Then her face turned serious, before she added: "That is as long as you don't plan to make your other half a godfather for our future children!"  
Cole looked at her shocked for a moment. Then he laughed with all his heart before kissing her again.

& & & & &

It was snowing stronger again, something to enjoy to its limit, because, they repeated to themselves, that didn't happen everyday in San Francisco! The four youngsters had already finished their shopping and now they were walking totally satisfied and proud of themselves.  
"Really... 'Thinking with the heart...' That was fun!" Veronica exclaimed gladly as she hopped, rather than walked on the soft and cold snow.  
Tom was kind of obliged to follow her speed, since he was holding her hand, and smiled softly: "Yeah... Weird. But I told you this shop is great."  
Steve and Nicki walked behind them more slowly, perhaps more pensive, too. "Well, it sounded weird, but... beautiful," Nicki said, and Steve seconded her. "Magical. It was magical. More magical than the magic we know. And I am sure we took the perfect choice."  
"Four magic presents from four magic friends for ONE magic friend!" said Veronica in a loud voice, jumping and turning back at the same time, just to face the other couple with a shiny grin.  
"Shhh..." Tom almost laughed. "Hush, Veronica!!! We're OUT!" he whispered at her, reminding his girlfriend that they still had some secrets to keep from what they liked calling 'the outer world'. Steve and Nicki smiled at her, too, but nodded, supporting Tom's words this way.  
"Come on, dudes... you're faaaaar too boring! People speak about magic all the time in Christmas! It's the safest moment to do so..." Veronica complained in a low voice, although feigning her anger.  
Steve shook his head and Nicki chuckled, as well as Tom, but as he did so, he turned slowly, distractedly, his head to his left. The houses were as beautiful as always in Christmas. Full of lights. Everywhere. The windows, the roof, the door, the trees in the garden, the little or huge ornaments covered with colors and garlands... Yeah... He so much loved that, walking through the streets, watching all those magical human things. He smiled at the snowman he saw in one of the gardens. It was huge... With a straw hat and a big carrot nose. And by it, there was a woman, a young woman, playing happily with a little girl who laughed as if nothing bad could happen to her in her life. She had everything she needed, her mom, her house, her Christmas, her snow... Tom shook his head turning it back to his friends. That had made him remember when he was also a child and had no fear of anything.  
"Ohhh... Cute!!!" Nicki said, grabbing Steve's arm with both her hands, and making him look at the mom and her daughter. Steve and Veronica smiled.  
"Yeah... We can make a snowman, too, and play with snowballs if you like, lil' Nicki," Veronica mocked, but her friend didn't take it like that.  
"Yaaay!! That would be awesome! What about organising a snowball fight when we arrive?? With Chris, and Bianca, and... And... Well... You think the sisters and their boring husbands / boyfriends will want to join us, too??"  
Veronica raised an eyebrow, and then turned to the boys: "Well..."  
"Why not??" Tom asked, surprisingly sure of it. "We'll have fun!"  
"Haha!!!" Nicki let go off Steve's hand and jumped on Tom's arms: "Love you, Tommy!"  
Tom laughed even more, as the other two exchanged looks.  
Then Veronica grabbed Nicki's arm and said: "Hey, you! Get away from MY boy!" And she did, but still laughing, as well as Tom, even Steve. And Veronica smiled, while kissing Tom: "Or aren't you MY boy, dude?"  
"Of course I am!" And they kissed for some seconds before starting to walk again towards the manor where they still had some work to do.

& & & & &

Phoebe and Cole were still standing outside the manor, still kissing, when a snowball hit him on his shoulder, the snow splashing all over their faces.  
"What the..." Phoebe exclaimed, while Cole started to giggle at the sound of amused laughter. Turning into the direction of that sound he saw Victor and Wyatt standing there, both already forming another snow ball.  
"Oh... not fair," Cole complained playful, bending down to grab some of the snow on his own.  
Phoebe meanwhile tried to shake the snow out of her hair and the collar of her jacket, silently swearing.  
Cole noticed that. He turned to the other two and winked at them. Then he aimed his snowball at them. But instead of throwing it at Wyatt and Victor he threw it as his wife, who shrieked when the cold, wet, white snow made contact with her face.  
Cole couldn't help laughing, while Wyatt giggled even more. "Aunti Bee is a snowman!" he exclaimed happily.  
"So not fair," the empath pouted. Still she couldn't help smiling on her own.  
The next snowball was thrown by Victor and directed at Cole, who ducked it laughing. "I'm not that easy to get," he stated.  
But he hadn't thought about his wife. While Cole was bending down, she had grabbed some snow on her own and quickly put it inside his collar.  
"Arrrg... GOD!" he exclaimed. "You're cheating."  
Wyatt laughed heartily as he himself grabbed another snowball and threw it at his uncle. It barley touched his knee, but that didn't matter. It was just all about the fun - nothing more, nothing less. The fun they had with this wonderful white snow was all that mattered.

& & & & &

Chris followed a step behind, still sceptical, while Michael walked next to Wishew Keget, asking him lot's of questions. Wouldn't this situation be so weird, Chris would have laughed about his friend's curiosity. But no, this seemed all so... Chris didn't even know what it seemed like. The Elder-witch felt some magical energy all over this place, and that disturbed him, that disturbed him a lot. He couldn't help the felling of foreboding - something was about to happen, he just wasn't sure if this was a good or bad thing.  
"So... Keget?... you are the Shaman of your tribe?" Michael asked, impressed. All this was so exciting.  
"Call me Jack, that's ok... And yes. I am. Same as my father before, and before that it was my grandfather and so on and so on..." the man answered smiling.  
"Wow..." Michael shook his head, "I never met a Shaman before."  
Jack smiled: "And I never before met someone like you. So I would say it's a tie."  
Chris shook his head, while his friend kept asking: "And your father told you about us?"  
Now the Native American nodded: "Yes he did... To come here was a task given to my family a long time ago. It was passed on from generation to generation... until now."  
"And you never doubted this... you never thought that nothing would happen today?" Chris now asked.  
Jack stopped and turned around to him. "I did," he said calmly. "I did when I was a child, but life told me that everything is possible, and that there is at least some truth in every legend... And it didn't hurt me to come to this place today..."  
"Right," Chris mumbled a little worried. But then his eyes grew wide. Michael looked at him frowning, but when he turned around again, he was wearing the same expression. They were standing in front of a small hut, which neither of them had seen before.  
Jack just smiled, noticing their looks. "Welcome to my home," he said, and moved forward, right to the front door.  
"Unbelievable," Michael muttered, while slowly following.  
Chris eyed the building sceptically, but he was still freezing, so he followed the others when Jack led them inside. He led them to a small room which was full of all kinds of herbs and fur, feathers and also some statues. In the middle there was a chimney were a small fire was burning.  
"Didn't you say you have central heating?" Chris asked frowning.  
"I have, and it's on... but this," he gestured to the fireplace, "is more inspiring." He smiled at his guests and sat down on some fur which was lying in front of the fire, and told Chris and Michael to sit down there, too.  
"One thing I don't understand..." Michael said, "I didn't thought the people of your tribe would be so open to us white men?"  
Now Jack laughed. Shaking his head he said: "Usually we're not... But, yours is a special case. I knew you would come, remember?"  
"Yeah right your..." Chris started but he was interrupted.  
"And," Jack said, "the white man's blood is also running through my veins, even if just a very, very small part."

& & & & &

When Kyle led his car up the driveway he already saw Phoebe, Cole, Victor and of course Wyatt playing in the snow... He had to smile. The thing he had missed most since he came to San Francisco was snow! He had never expected to have so much of those white crystals again in his life, because it was always kind of warm here... But this year was more than special, so somehow he thought it was fitting.  
When he left the car, Wyatt was already running over to him. "Hey champ," he greeted him as he knelt down to his level and ruffled his hair. "Are you excited?"  
Wyatt nodded energetically, his cheeks flushed red from all the playing.  
"Welcome Kyle. Good to see that you made it here in one piece," Cole said and shook hands with him.  
"Yeah," Kyle replied, while Phoebe pulled him into a hug, before he could shake hands with Victor, "the streets are really icy in some regions... I think I'll better ask one of the angels inside there to give me a lift later... Don't think it would be a good idea to go back by car..."  
It was still slightly snowing and some of the cars in the street were already covered by a heavy white blanket. You could hardly see where the sidewalk ended and the street began.  
Cole nodded, grinning, knowing more than the man in front of him: "Good idea..." Phoebe slapped him playfully on his shoulder, but then she had to smile on her own...  
Kyle frowned at both of them, wondering what was wrong with them, or if he had missed anything. But finally he blamed it on the day and smiled, too.  
Then the man turned back to his car to get the bag with the gifts from Darryl and his family. Right that moment Cole noticed how a group of four people started walking over to them.  
"Oh see... The Fantastic Four are here for a visit!" Kyle and Victor turned around while Phoebe started to giggle, and Wyatt again ran to the newcomers to hug them.  
"Hey Wyatt," Steve greeted as he picked the boy up, and then added with faked exhaustion, "boy, you're growing too fast!"  
"Hey," Tom meanwhile waved to the others before he turned to Cole, "I actually like that nickname... Keep it in mind..."  
"So isn't it enough that you're a crazy Phoenix-witch, you now also have to be a super-hero?" Veronica asked him teasingly before she gave him a kiss.  
Then Nicki smiled and pointed at the snow marks on the Halliwells' clothes. "Actually we wanted to have a little snowball fight with you, but it seems you already had your share," she said, making everyone giggle again.  
"What are you doing here, by the way?" Phoebe asked then. "I thought you wanted to celebrate with your families?"  
"We will," Nicki explained, "but we wanted to see Chris for a moment, to give him a little gift..."  
"Oh, that's nice of you," Victor said, "sadly he isn't here right now."  
"What?" Cole exclaimed.  
Phoebe meanwhile sighed: "Piper will kill him."  
But Victor ignored them and asked the others instead if they wanted to come inside and wait in the warmth of the manor.  
"Yeah that would be great," Steve replied smiling.  
But Wyatt didn't like that idea: "I don't wanna go'nside... wanna play more!"  
Everyone had to laugh about that, and everyone could understand him... "Ok," Tom said then, "what do you think if the two of us build a snowman, huh?"  
Wyatt beamed happily and hugged the young man. The others observed the two for a moment, while they started to make a large snowball. Kyle was about to join them in their work, but Phoebe hold him back. "You better come inside with us," she said. And so he did.

& & & & &

As soon as they entered Piper came from the kitchen. She welcomed Kyle and the three young witches heartily and then took the bag with the gifts to hide it from the kids. Right that moment Leo also walked in and said hello, too. After that procedure he was about to look after his youngest son, when Kyle hold him back.  
"Yeah?" Leo asked.  
"Well... I... I just thought..."  
"What?"  
Kyle turned red: "Well, I thought... do you know if Darryl and his family are fine? They wanted to go to LA and with all the snow I am..."  
Leo hold up his hands to stop the man, while he smiled: "I see..." He closed his eyes for a moment, then he said: "They are fine, don't worry. They are still at the airport through..." He frowned, then he smiled even wider: "You know what? I'll go and check on them, maybe I can help them to reach their destination..." And with that he disappeared in a swirl of orbs.  
"Guess I go and change the diapers then," Cole said and grinned, before heading up the stairs.  
Kyle followed him with the eyes and then saw Paige appearing on top of the stairs. She smiled when she saw him and ran down to him, nearly knocking out Cole on her way, to give Kyle a loving kiss.  
"Wow, what a welcome," he muttered against her lips.  
Paige smiled, all her plans already halfway forgotten. She was just too excited and too happy to see him, she didn't want to wait anymore. She needed to know...  
"I have something for you," she said therefore before orbing with him up to her room.  
When they rematerialized Kyle felt a little dizzy for a moment. He was getting used to orbing, but he still didn't like to do it unprepared. Paige smiled at him through, and he couldn't help but return it. "So what is it that you have for me...?" he then asked frowning, realising that he had never been in this room before. There was a huge bed, with a nightstand besides it, a closet, a working place and a comfortable looking chair by the window. He liked it a lot, mostly because all this room screamed 'Paige'... yeah this was absolutely her room.  
The witch-whitelighter meanwhile went over to her nightstand and picked up a little box which she gave the man with a smile: "Marry Christmas."  
"But Christmas is tomorrow..."  
"I know, but I want you to open it now... please," Paige begged.  
Kyle smiled at her and then opened the little red and silver decorated box. Inside was a key.  
"What is that?" he asked.  
Paige went closer to him again and explained: "That's a key for the front door. I'm not asking you to move in, because I know we haven't reached that point yet - even if I'm somehow sure we'll reach it someday - but I want you to be able to come here whenever you want... I..." she hesitated a moment, "I want you to stay tonight... if you like..."  
Kyle's eyes grew wide in realization, when he finally found the sense in Paige's rambling. And he smiled, he smiled like a child who saw a Christmas tree for the first time. Paige just looked at him, still unsure about his reaction. But then he pulled her close and kissed her deeply before looking into her eyes. "I love you so much, Paige!"  
The witch-whitelighter smiled back at him, relieved and excited at the same time, whispering: "I love you, too."

& & & & &

"WOW..." was Michael's voice, after hearing the entire story. Chris was pensive, lying down on the fur, as his friend continued like follows: "So... Amy and her... young knight were the first white men coming to the US. Ha!! Tell the White House and the Pentagon!!"  
"Tell Mr. Americo Vespuccio and Christopher Colombus," Chris murmured, dreamy, or maybe sleepy, or just maybe sort of absent-mindedly.  
Jack chuckled and nodded: "Yes, well... Guess tell Crazy Horse or Sitting Bull in the north. They thought they had been the first in seeing - and fighting - Munchey people." There was a pause here, while the three men thought about the story of Amy and Gareth, before Jack added: "Actually, they had some problems, you know..."  
"Yeah..." Michael laughed. "Especially the part in which your people believed they were demons. So you really know what demons are?"  
Jack nodded, smiling: "Yes. Demons, witches, or Shamans are what we call magic men, or fairies, or dwarves... All of them have always been part of our life. You might have eyes but not see, you know?? And some don't need eyes to see. That's believing. It seems my people really thought they were some sort of bad gods or something; demons, in other words. But they did good magic. Well, my great-great-great...and so on...grandmother did. And they taught us things, and they learnt things, too. But this is all a secret that must be kept, well... secret."  
This time it was Chris that smiled and sat down as he said: "Trust me, I'm not gonna tell anyone."  
Michael made a gesture like crossing his two thumbs ceremoniously: "No better man to keep secrets!!"  
Jack smiled and nodded again. "Amy was happy. And the weird man, too. It seems no one believed he'd be able to adapt, but he did. I can show you some drawings later. The archaeologists are still trying to figure out what they are." And he laughed heartily. "I guess European Middle Ages don't really fit here! He made them, and we learnt a lot of stuff through them."  
Chris nodded smiling, too, pensive, while it was Jack and Michael who really led the conversation. "I'm glad for her..." he said after a while.  
Michael seconded him, but Jack said, suddenly: "But you're not glad."  
"Excuse me??" Chris frowned and stared at him, as well as Michael.  
Now Jack was serious, thoughtful, like studying the man in front of him: "You're not glad. You are not happy with this story. I mean - sorry about the words - you are not satisfied."  
"Well, why...?"  
"I don't think it's really Amy's story, that makes you feel like that," the Shaman then said. "It's something else that bothers you, which stops you from being really happy."  
"No, that's not right..." Chris answered, shaking his head convincingly. Notwithstanding, he didn't convince Jack or his friend. "Well, I am happy. I have the best life a man can desire, but..."  
"But??"  
Chris shook his head again and shrugged, before a surprised Michael and an understanding Jack. "Don't know. Just the feeling that... Just that something's not like it should be... maybe... but I cannot put my finger on it... Forget it. It's stupid!"  
"It's not," Jack smiled, standing up and going to fetch something for him. "See, Christopher... You heal external wounds, you said. You're a Shaman of body. I am a Shaman of soul. And you need to be cured." And that being said, he turned to Chris, handing over to him a little cup with a strong but nice smell extolling from it.  
Chris took it cautiously, and looked inside, while his friend frowned shocked and said: "What the hell is that??"  
Jack sat opposite Chris again, and answered mysteriously: "That, my friend, is magic."  
Chris raised his eyes towards the Shaman and said: "For what??"  
And Jack shrugged, smiling enigmatically: "Well, you need to find something, so you're gonna go on a quest. A vision quest."  
And that struck the Elder-witch well. He had heard something similar not long ago, maybe that very same day, maybe when he was talking to one of the most special people in the world for him. Victor.  
_"Maybe you need a little trip along your life, too."_  
Like Mr. Scrooge?? Just to start believing in Christmas again??? Chris didn't wait much. He drank the whole potion in a gulp.

& & & & &

It had been really hard to convince Annie to go home again. She and her mom had built another snowman, or better a snow-kid to company the first one. And when that was done, Annie wanted to build another one. But it was getting colder and colder every minute as the snow kept falling. And short after they had started their way home the wind grew stronger, too.  
So now they were fighting their way trough the snow in the streets while the sunset crawled nearer, quickly.  
"I'm cold..." Annie complained her voice shivering.  
Her mom grabbed her hand: "I know... but we're almost home..." She dragged her daughter along the streets, freezing herself. She shouldn't have let her daughter win their argument, she should have taken her home already an hour ago... But how often did it snow in San Francisco? How often would her daughter have the chance to experience something like that?  
"Come on... hurry," she motivated her little girl, "we're almost home... and then you'll get a hot chocolate and some cookies... How does that sound?"  
Annie looked at her mother smiling: "That's great..." But when they turned around the next corner, the little girl suddenly stopped.  
Her mother turned around. "What's wrong?" she asked.  
Annie kept staring at some point in front of her. Her mother looked that way, too, but couldn't see anything else than a few man talking. "Annie?" she asked, turning to the little girl again.  
Annie kept staring at one of the men. He was tall and thin... he wore a black coat and his hair was black, too. But that wasn't what scared the girl. No, the man was shining. But not in a light and beautiful color, not like her mom, or her friends at school, not like her angel, who she had met the other day... No, this man was shining in a very dark black with some deep red spots.  
And then he turned his face... and when he noticed the girl he smirked.  
Annie turned to her mother: "Mommy, can we go anther way???"  
"But... this is the shortest way... I..."  
"Mommy, please!" Annie begged, her voice full of fear.  
Her mother turned her head to the men again, just to see that one of them was slowly coming closer now. "Ok..." she said a little absent, before she pulled her daughter away, hurrying down another street...

& & & & &

"Hey... Leo!!" was Darryl's surprised welcome as he saw the man walking out of the toilet of the airport. Sheila, notwithstanding, simply smiled. Somehow, even though she had become acknowledged of the truth about the Halliwell family later than her husband, she had a sixth sense for their Wiccan ways, and never was really surprised with their actions. Just their son looked at Leo in confusion.  
"Hi! Happy Christmas!" Leo grinned, waving his hand to them.  
"Oh, we were really sorry that we couldn't come over for dinner..." Darryl started, calmer, but a bit disappointed for having to let his friend down.  
However, he was interrupted by Leo. "I know, I know... no problem, that's why I am here," he explained rapidly.  
"What??" Sheila and Darryl exclaimed at the same time. Well, this time she was surprised, too. "Something happened..." she murmured.  
But Leo shook his head: "No, no. Everything's alright. Kyle told us you planed to fly today, but since you're still here I take it the flight was cancelled?"  
Darryl shrugged: "Not yet – just delayed. But with the snow still falling, they will do so soon, I guess."  
Leo smiled even wider: "See, that's why I'm here. I thought I give you a lift to L.A."  
While Sheila smiled, Darryl opened his eyes widely: "What?? No! I mean, you don't have to, we don't want to bother..."  
Leo raised his hands in a gesture meaning to stop him: "Ok, I don't have to, but I WANT to. Don't worry, it's fast, you know how this works... And when you want to come back, just call me. I mean, phone home." He smiled again and stepped to them in order to grab their bags. "Just follow me to the restrooms..."  
Still in shock all three of the Morris-family followed the Elder, not bothering about what other may thing because Sheila entered the men's room. Leo quickly checked the area and then grabbed Sheila's hand. And when he felt Daryl holding him by the shoulder he asked: "Ready?"  
"Wait." Sheila took her son's hand, too, and Darryl grabbed the kid's bag.  
"Ready," he sighed then. A moment after that, they all disappeared in a stream of orb lights.

& & & & &

The next thing Chris knew, was that he was standing in a cave. A dark cave... And before him was a gap in the ground, about five yards wide. He stepped closer to the edge to look down to a stream of lava about twenty yards underneath his feed. Then his eyes travelled to the other side of that gab. There was a gate filled with golden light.  
"Great, just great," he muttered. He looked around for something to help him to the other side, but there was nothing there... why should there be?  
His aunt Phoebe... well the Phoebe form his old life, had once told him about those things. She had had a lot of experience with those visions. _"There is always something blocking your path. To have a vision you must only believe in you and what you want. Free your mind from all fears. If you fight it or let the fear win, then you'll only get hurt."_  
Chris sighed, looking down at the hot lava again. Then he looked up at the gate. He shook his arms and legs to relax his muscles, before closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. Then he made a step forward into the nothing...  
His eyes still closed his mind told him that he should fall, fall down into the hot lava. But he believed from deep down inside of him that he wouldn't fall... and he didn't.  
So he took another step... and another... and another...  
When he was sure to have crossed the gap he opened his eyes again. He was standing right in front of the shining gate, safely on the other side of the stream of lava. Looking back at the gap, smiling, he whispered: "Thanks Aunt Phoebe." Then he took another deep breath and crossed the gate.

& & & & &

Michael observed Chris worriedly. He was laying there, his eyes closed, not moving... He could hardly see the movement of his chest, but it was there, just a little bit...  
"Don't worry," Jack said, "he's fine. Actually he surprised me. I never saw one of the Munchey people accept his vision right the first time."  
"Huh?" Michael didn't understand what he was talking about.  
Jack smiled friendly. "Those visions are meant to teach you a lesson, teach you to accept yourself. Usually the subconscious is fighting that. It takes a lot of trust in this kind of magic to ignore that. But..." and with that, the man pulled out a small bottle and held it in front of Michael, "you won't have that problem."  
Michael took the bottle, but looked at Jack shocked: "No... no-no-no... I won't drink this!"  
Jack shrugged: "You don't have to... But let me tell you this: The same tale, that let us meet today, told the recipe for this, so that the mortal of the two visitors may drink it."  
Michael's eyes grew wide, while Jack smiled again before he went on: "It's not for visions, it's for talking with the dead."  
Michael - somehow less shocked now - still eyed the bottle warily: "Does this hurt?"  
Jack shook his head, almost laughing: "No... it won't."  
Michael nodded, took a deep breath and swallowed down the vanilla-tasting liquid.

& & & & &

When the light disappeared and let him see again, Chris found himself in the manor's living room - the old one. The house was in complete silence, not even a clock was ticking as if time had stopped. And there was no one there... no one except...  
"Patty!" Chris exclaimed as he noticed the 10-year old girl standing in front of him. He knelt down and hugged her tightly, he had missed his cousin so much.  
But when she didn't respond, he pulled away to look at her...  
She was looking like the day he had last seen her, like the day he had brought Victor down to her in the underworld, to take care of her and also for the man's own safety.  
Whatever... the girl hadn't aged... she wasn't real... Chris knew she wasn't, she didn't exist anymore.  
"Who are you?" he asked.  
The girl looked at him with serious eyes. "I'm a spirit, representing someone you trust. I'm someone you needed to see... And I'm here to guide you through your vision."  
Chris nodded. "Ok... then let's go."  
The girl smiled moving her hand and the room around them changed...

& & & & &

Annie and her mother walked faster and faster every minute just to make sure it had only been a false alarm, but each time they turned, their hearts jumped in fear as they quickly realized it was not actually any false alarm. The dark man was following them, but he did not seem to be in a hurry. His big steps were slow, and calm, as if he were certain that his prey would have nothing to do, and it were just a question of time that he caught them, which in fact made them hurry even more, their hearts racings.  
"Mom, he's... he's coming..." the little girl panted as she tried to keep up to her mother's speed.  
"Shhh..." she hushed her, trying to sound a bit calm. "We're almost home, don't worry."  
"But..." she stopped talking. It was worthless to keep talking and waste energy while that weird dark man surrounded by dark hues was getting to them, so Annie just turned once again quickly to see how far he was now, when something made her mother stop and give out a cry.  
"Mommy, what...?!!" Annie didn't finish her question. In front of them there was another of those men, who surprisingly had arrived there before they did. He was showing a very queer sneer at them.  
"Oh, my God..." Annie's mother gasped. The little girl opened her eyes widely and looked at the terrifying demon – because somehow, she thought he was a demon for the same reason she had seen an angel in Chris.  
Both mother and daughter stepped backwards, scared to death, when the man opened his mouth scornfully to say: "Good night ma'am... lil' missie.' I didn't want to disturb you ladies, but I think I got lost..."  
In fact, the girls could not answer and the man did not expect it either.  
Behind them, the other stalker approached and held their shoulders tightly: "Hello..."  
Annie cried and started to weep as she tried to get loose with no results, while her mother did also what she could to show herself calm: "What... what do you...?"  
"...Want?" The man opposite them finished, making a bow suddenly appear in his hands. At the same time, two other figures appeared also from the nothingness at their sides, and a terrible laugh filled with darkness the white night. Annie screamed again, and her mother begged for their lives while they saw how the attacker aimed at them with the weapon, ready to shoot. "Kill you, of course." And he shot.

* * *

_(Chapter 8 written by Belén and Chrissy.W.x)_


	9. Chapter 9

**A Charmed Story - Part Twelve:  
A Halliwell Christmas Carol  
Chapter 9**

Chris and Patty were still in the manor, the living room, but they were in the new one they'd created with those enlargements.  
He looked down at the girl by his side, asking: "What time is this?"  
The image of Patty smiled about this question. Then she gestured to a group of people, sitting on the sofa, and said: "See yourself. Don't be afraid, they can't see nor hear us."  
Chris had a closer look on those people. There was a young man about his age, talking to another one who was probably a few years older. Both looked kind of familiar, but Chris was sure that he had never seen them before.  
Then there were three little kids - at the age from five to twelve, he guessed. They were sitting around an old man, with green eyes and grey hair and a mole on his nose, who was telling the kids some story.  
"Is... is that... is that me?" The Elder-witch asked kind of shocked.  
"No," the girl answered sadly, "but I wish it would be you, because then you wouldn't need me."  
Chris turned to her, wanted to ask what she meant with those words, when they suddenly heard the front door open and lots of cheering voices enter the house.  
"Uncle Christopher?" Some male voice called.  
"Hey little brother, where are you?" another voice was heard.  
Chris smiled, that last one was definitely Wyatt, through his voice was a little hoarse.  
"Living room!" Christopher called out meanwhile. And soon at least a dozen of people entered the room, all in completely overwhelming Christmas-mood.  
"Are those... are those all Wyatt's kids?" Chris asked.  
Patty smiled: "His kids and grandkids..."  
"Wow..." Chris felt somehow overwhelmed by all those images.  
"You should listen," Patty directed his attention back to his brothers's conversation.  
"So I guess Chris won't come... again..." Wyatt more stated than asked as he sat down next to his brother.  
"Am I still alive?" Chris asked the girl by his side.  
"No," she said, "but you're an Edler, remember?"  
Meanwhile Christopher answered Wyatt's question: "Did you expect that? I mean... he wasn't home for Christmas since... God, I even can't remember when he was celebrating with us for the last time..."  
"Twelve years," Wyatt said. "It was twelve years ago... and then..."  
"Ahhh I don't think you need to hear that," Patty suddenly exclaimed, putting her index fingers into Chris's ears - how she did that with her short height, the Elder-witch had no idea - and moved them around so that he couldn't understand a word of what Wyatt was saying.  
"Outch!" Chris complained.  
The girl put an innocent smile on and said: "Sorry... future consequences!"  
The Elder-witch rolled his eyes. He wanted to give a sarcastic comment, but then Wyatt's words caught his attention.  
"I miss him..." the grey haired man said, his voice full of emotions, "I wish he would be here..."  
"Yeah... but he hates Christmas, you know that," Christopher replied.  
Wyatt shook his head energetically: "No, he doesn't... he has just forgotten its true meaning..."  
Chris was shocked to hear those words. "No... I haven't I... I know what Christmas is about and I know how to celebrate it!"  
"Really?" the girl asked. And when the Elder-witch looked at her shocked, the scene in front of them changed.  
They were still in the manor's new living room, but they were back, in the present time, at least almost.  
"What? Why are we here?" Chris asked confused.  
"We're here, because you need to listen to yourself, I believe..." And with this the girl pointed at Chris who sat on the sofa with Victor.  
"You believe in witches, magic, whitelighters... But this is Christmas, and you don't really believe in the Christmas spirit, son. You don't believe in the Christmas miracle," the old man just said, and the Chris he was talking too, became very emotional.  
And with the real Chris it was the same. His eyes got watery, while the image of Patty grabbed his hand, saying: "Even he realized that you don't know anymore what this day is about... You simply forgot."  
"It isn't that easy," Chris barely whispered. "It isn't easy to..."  
"I know, Chris," the girl said, pressing his hand comfortingly. "It hurt when you had been here those first months... I know. And I also know about the Christmases before, in the future you came from. But you yourself told your parents to move on, and not to worry, when they felt bad about how they treated you... Don't you think it's time for you to do the same? Look at yourself." And with this she pointed at Chris who was actually looking really bad, sobbing and shaking. "You need to move on, too..."  
Chris sighed: "I know... And I'm trying. But it isn't only this, you know? This last year, especially the last few months had been exhausting... I want to celebrate this. I want it to be a perfect Christmas, especially for the kids, but... I guess, I'm just tired..."  
"Oh!" the girl exclaimed, putting her hands on her hips. "So that's your excuse now? Then tell me, what about your friend Steve? Wasn't his year even more badly than yours?" Chris looked at her, frowning in confusion, then he nodded.  
"Then let's have a look how he's going to celebrate this Christmas," she said then. And again she waved her hand and their surroundings changed.

& & & & &

Annie was screaming and hugging her mother tightly. She did not know why, but she was so afraid... And suddenly... nothing. Nothing but surprise, and pain. She gasped as the arrow hit her in her little shoulder. Tears ran down her face because of the pain and the terror she was feeling when she started to notice that her brain wanted to black out. "Mom..." she mumbled.  
"Annie!!!" the woman cried, holding her in her arms, now that the man behind them had let go off them. "Annie, oh my God..." She raised her eyes, begging, at the man who was still sneering at her. "HELP!! I need help, please...!!!" Her entire body trembled as leaves of trees in autumn, but those men didn't seem to care at all. "She's just a little child, you son of..."  
The man shook his head scornfully and clicked his tongue: "So sweet... But she's more than that, she's what I DO kill. So sorry, ma'am..." Then, he made a signal to his men, and added: "Leave her. Let's go." And they all three black-orbed, leaving Annie in pain, and her mother kneeling now by her side, calling for help.  
"Mom... Call... The angel..." she couldn't finish. Her little eyes closed, and she passed out.  
"Annie, sweetie, you gotta wake up, come on... HELP!!!!!! SOMEBODY HELP ME!!!!" Call the angel, the girl had said, but the woman couldn't think about that at this moment. She needed a hospital.

& & & & &

Michael had felt dizzy for a moment. But then that feeling was gone as fast as it came. But when he opened his eyes again the world around him was a little foggy. He was, as it seemed in the middle of an old Native American village... there were a lot of people walking around. It seemed to be a casual summer day in the tribe, except for that mysterious fog lying above everything.  
But then two figures approached him and it was as if they crossed a barrier or something, because suddenly they became very clear. The man was tall, but even if you could see his strength he looked like he could need a few burgers on his ribs. And the small woman seemed to be heavily pregnant.  
When they came closer Michael could see that their skin was far to light for someone born at that place. The man smiled at him, even if his eyes seemed to be a little sad. The woman smiled at him, too. It was a warm and honest smile, and her eyes were sparkling.  
"Hello Mike," she said, tiptoeing to hug him. "It's good to see you..."  
Michael looked at her shocked: "Amy?"  
The woman nodded energetically. Then hugging the man by her side, she asked: "And I'm sure you remember my husband Gareth, right?"  
"Of course," Michael said and shook the man's hand. Then he asked: "Am I in the past???"  
Amy smiled: "No, you aren't... this is a place between your mind and the afterlife. It's an image based on what you know, so it's easier for you to understand."  
"So this is only my imagination?"  
"No," she went on explaining, "not completely. You see, me and Gareth we're standing here in front of you like we once were, and there is no way you could know that. This is what we looked like when I wrote you the letter... which I suppose, you already got."  
Michael nodded: "So... why am I here?"  
"We know you would try to find a trace from us," Gareth said. It was the first thing he said during that weird meeting. "So we made sure someone would find you and bring you to this place, because we have something to talk about."  
Michael looked at him confused, before asking: "And that is?"

& & & & &

Meanwhile Chris and the girl were standing in one of those small apartments at magic school, where Steve and Nicki were sitting on the sofa, hugging each other tightly, both smiling lovingly at each other's eyes.  
"I like this you know... this Christmas with you..." the young woman said, while she caressed his cheek.  
His smile became even brighter: "What about it exactly...??? The burned turkey? Or the fact that your dad wanted to vanquish me when he found out that I'm a half-demon...??? Or my mom who wanted to vanquish him for those words?"  
Chris turned to the girl who was still holding his hand: "I didn't know that Steve had trouble with Nicki's parents..."  
"Oh, don't worry about that..." the girl explained, "they just told them... or will because it hasn't happened yet... They will sort it out soon... But anyway, you should listen..."  
Nicki meanwhile chuckled: "Our parents are a lot to deal with sometimes... especially my dad... but my mom loves you..."  
Steve pulled her closer to his chest as he lay back on the sofa to get a more comfortable position: "I know she does... at least she likes the fact that your boyfriend is half Elder, too..."  
Now Nicki sat up and slapped him on his chest, playfully: "They aren't that bad!"  
Steve laughed, before he pulled her close again to kiss her. Then he looked into her eyes. "I know... But anyway, I don't care... You're what matters to me, and I know you love me just the way I am."  
"Of course I do..." Nicki replied, "and I don't care about if they accept you either... and they know that at least since I told them to either honor Christmas and be peaceful, or leave... Luckily they haven't forgotten what this day is about and stopped arguing..."  
Steve smiled at her again, his eyes sparkling. "I love you..."  
"I know that and I love..."  
He interrupted her, putting his index finger on her lips. Then he grabbed behind the sofa, pulling out a small jewelry box. "Merry Christmas."  
Nicki looked at the box shocked and then back at her boy friend. "What...?"  
"Open it..."  
She did as she was told. Inside of the box was a small silver ring, it was just a simple ring without any decorations except that it was leveled at one site and at this space was engraved an N and an S, framed by a heart. Again she looked up at him not sure what to think.  
He smiled, a little insecure: "Well... I love you Nicki, only you... and I want to spend the rest of my life with you..." He made a break and when she still didn't say anything, he went on: "I mean... we're still young and I have some 'family-problems' I wanna sort out first, so I thought about a longer engagement time... maybe one or two years, but... Still when I think about the future I don't see me, or you... I just see us, together. Especially on days like this... In 50 years on Christmas Eve I see us, sitting in front of the tree surrounded by our kids and grand kids, having the time of our life..." He smiled, then he finally asked: "So... will you... will you marry me?"  
"I can't believe that..." Chris said, surprised. He and Steve had turned to be really close friends again lately, but he had no idea about his friend's plans.  
"Believe it, Chris..." Patty said smiling. "Isn't that cute, to chose this day, this wonderful Christmas Eve for this???"  
Chris couldn't help smiling, and then nodded.  
Nicki, who still was silently looking at Steve, now started to giggle, which confused the young man even more. But then she threw her arms around him and kissed him before she said against his lips: "I love you, I love you, I love you... and of course I will..."  
"Really?" he asked, now smiling, too.  
"Yeah," she whispered. Steve then took the ring and slipped it on her finger, before they kissed again.  
"Oh, I guess that's enough for you to see!" Patty suddenly exclaimed, waving her hands violently, so that the place around them quickly changed again.  
And when their surroundings cleared they were again in the manor. It was the old manor like it used to before they changed everything, but still it wasn't the one from a few month ago... or even from former times. No it was different. And standing there in the hallway, Chris immediately knew where they were, or better when... "Oh my God..." he muttered, as Patty grabbed his hand again, holding it tightly. She smiled at him: "You once believed in Christmas. So maybe this will make you remember..."  
Right that moment they heard some giggles and Chris turned around. There on the stairs - nearly on the first floor - were five years old Wyatt and two and a half years old Chris hiding behind the banisters. That wasn't Christopher, it was Chris... This was a moment from his very own past...  
He remembered that day very well. It was Christmas Eve. One of the few when he was happy. One of those when Wyatt was still good, one of those he wasn't bothered by his father's absence.  
Wyatt and him had talked all day about Santa, and what gifts he would bring them. They had been excited all the time and of course non of them wanted to go to bed that night... They wanted to see Santa! Of course they knew he would have been there, when the milk and cookies were gone in the morning. But they wanted to see him! So they kept orbing out of bed...  
"Wyatt Matthew!" they suddenly heard their mother yelling. "Christopher Perry! What did I tell you? It's far over bed time boys!" At that moment she appeared on top of the stairs.  
"But mom we wanna see Santa!" Wyatt pouted.  
"Yeah... Santa! See Santa!" the little Chris giggled happily!  
Meanwhile Chris had to smile downstairs. Oh yeah, he really wanted to see Santa at this day. And something was awakening deep down inside his stomach. A very weird feeling of joy he couldn't describe. He turned to his small guide who smiled at him when she saw his green eyes sparkle. But then she led his attention back to the two small boys.  
"No Wyatt, you need to go to bed... you..." Piper started but she couldn't finish her sentence. Because suddenly noises were heard from the living room.  
"Santa!" both boys exclaimed. They ran down the stairs, little Chris was almost falling over his own short legs. When they reached the ground floor they ran past Chris to the living room. In the door they stopped. Then Piper followed the boys with a wide smile on her face.  
Chris was like frozen, unsure what to do next, but Patty dragged him to follow his family from his past. So he finally stood behind Piper watching what was going on inside the dark living room.  
There was a man with a white beard and red suite, walking around, and placing some boxes under the huge Christmas tree. And when he was done (it had been a lot of boxes) he was looking around for the milk and cookies. When he bite into one of Piper's delicious cookies and swallowed it down with a bit of the milk, little Chris suddenly whispered full of wonder: "Santa..."  
Wyatt immediately clasped his hand over his little brother's mouth, but it was too late. Santa had heard them.  
"Ho-ho-HO!" he raised his voice and waved his hand which made the lights switch on. Both boys were frozen when the huge man approached them, while Piper giggled same as Chris behind her.  
"Who are those boys who are not in bed right now like they are supposed to be?" Santa asked.  
Wyatt stepped forward: "It was my fault. Take away my gifts if you want, but not those of Chris. He was always a good boy."  
Chris noticed that Piper had some tears in her eyes, while little Chris stumbled forward. "No!" he exclaimed. "Wyatt's good... He's my big b'other. He's go-o-od... a'ways, a'ways. He's takin' away my outch yesterday..."  
"You're 'outch'?" Petty asked the grown up Chris.  
The Elder-witch smiled: "We were playing 'catch me if you can' and I fell down the stairs... Wyatt healed me, before mom found out..."  
"Well, now she has, I guess," the little girl said, pointing at Piper's deep frown.  
"She never said anything about it through..."  
Meanwhile Santa, wearing a very serious look, went closer to the boys standing side by side. Unintentionally little Chris grabbed his big brother's hand. But then Santa smiled, and knelled down in front of them. "Well... you seem to care for each other a lot, and that's a very noble thing..."  
Both boys sighed relieved, looking at each other, right when Santa looked up and his eyes met with those of Piper.  
And that second Chris could clearly look into Santa's eyes for the first time... Into those blue sparkling eyes. And that's when it hit him...  
"Leo..." he mumbled kind of shocked.  
Patty smiled softly at him. "Yes... your father..."  
"He was there... He was there... That Christmas he was there..." Chris couldn't believe it.  
Still in shock he watched as Santa - no Leo - hugged both his sons tightly... both of them... and he gave both of them an extra gift which they were allowed to open that night, before the morning...  
"He cared... He loved me..." Chris's mind couldn't believe it, but his heart did... and he started to cry silently.  
The little girl besides him pressed his hand tightly: "Of course he did... he loved both of you the same way..." Chris just nodded as the tears kept rolling down his cheeks...  
They stood there for a while, just watching as the memory played out...  
Then everything went dark around them, just the spot where Chris and Patty stood was illuminated by a spotlight.  
"What is this?" the girl asked as Chris dried his eyes.  
Then he looked at her: "What? I thought you're my guide, so how can you NOT know???" The little girl looked at him a slight hint of panic in her eyes. But before she could say anything, another voice was heard...  
"I'm sorry to disturb you Chris, but I need your help!"  
With the voice appeared a man, who was good looking. Chris had never seen him before but something about him was familiar.  
When neither Chris nor the girl said anything, the man went on talking. "My name is Daniel, I'm a spirit but I was a whitelighter. I made myself fall because I fell in love... Then I was killed. Now my daughter is in danger... She needs your help, Chris. Annie needs your help!"  
"What?" Now he had the Elder-witch's full attention. "Do you mean that girl who said I'm her guardian angel???"  
The man nodded, his face filled with worry. "Something went wrong when I gave up my powers... Something was left inside of me, and now she's able to see what a person is like... like if she can see deep into your soul she can see if you're good or if you're not... She told me that she sees those colors and it seems the brighter they are the better is the person... and..." he rambled, his voice filled with worry and panic.  
"Yeah ok... but... what happened? You said you need my help..."  
"She was shot by a darklighter... you need to save her..." Daniel exclaimed putting his hands at his head, tearing at his hair.  
Chris immediately understood... He had to go... wake up... "I need to go out of here!" he said to the girl next to him. Patty nodded seriously and waved her hand.

& & & & &

The next thing Chris knew, was that he felt dizzy. Groaning he opened his eyes and realized that he was lying on the floor on a fur carpet, and their new friend was sitting in front of him, observing him curious.  
That was when Chris remembered what happened, when he remembered... "Annie!" he exclaimed realizing that his throat was sore and his voice almost broke. Nevertheless he stood up quickly but fell back again as another wave of dizziness hit him.  
"Easy... easy..." Jack said as he helped the man to sit... "Such a vision is taking a lot of energy from you, you should take your time..."  
"No," Chris said, shaking his head, "I have to go, I have to save her..." He looked around and saw that Michael was lying on the fur, too, his eyes close as if he was sleeping. "What happened to him?" He asked.  
"He has his own vision," Jack explained calmly.  
But Chris didn't have the time for that. "You have to wake him I have to go!" he ordered as he finally managed to stand up.  
"I can't do that... he has to get out of it on his own, if you don't want to hurt him." Their host explained, still emitting an unbelievable calmness. Chris looked frantically between his friend and the Native American back and forth. Jack smiled understanding: "Go... nothing will happened to him, I'm taking care of that. Go and do what you have to do, and then come back and pick him up."  
Chris nodded: "Thanks." Then - with one last look at Michael - he orbed away.

& & & & &

"Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer - had a very shiny nose..."  
Phoebe heard those lines when she finally had climbed up the stairs. But was that really him? Slowly she walked over to the nursery and looked into the room. There he was - her wonderful amazing husband, changing the diaper of Christopher and singing!  
"... all of the other reindeers used to laugh and call him names - they never let poor Rudolph join in any reindeer game..."  
Phoebe couldn't help it, but right that moment she fall in love with him again. He was so cute as he sang and danced in front of the giggling baby. And while Christopher smiled at his uncle and moving his little arms and legs happily, Phoebe started to shed a few tears... Oh this was so touching.  
Right then Cole picked the little boy up and hugged him to his chest, dancing through the room while he sang the last lines of the song.  
"Rudolph with your nose so bright - won't you guide my sleigh tonight - then all the reindeers loved him..."  
He stopped, because he turned around and saw his wife, standing in the doorway, crying silently. Fearing the worst he went over to her and asked: "What happened?"  
"Nothing," Phoebe said smiling, drying her eyes, "I just... oh Cole, I love you so much!"  
Cole frowned as she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. "But why are you crying?" he asked, when she let go of him again.  
Phoebe smiled: "Because you're so cute. I know now why Chris likes you so much, I can see it. And I'm sure you'll be a wonderful daddy on your own. You're so cute with kids... I love you so much."  
Now Cole chucked. Was everyone going crazy that day? Well it seemed so. And even if Phoebe had him really scared for a moment, he loved her little emotional outbreaks she had here and there during the last days. This was Christmas for God's sake. When you couldn't be emotional those days, then whenever? "I love you, too," he whispered and kissed her, while Christopher giggled happily.

& & & & &

Paige and Kyle were lying on her bed, legs entwined, they shared a passionate kiss after another. They both had waited for this so long...  
Paige was already busy with opening his shirt while Kyle's hands already found their way under her t-shirt. They had forgotten everything around them...  
"PAIGE!!! PAIGE, WHERE ARE YOU???"  
Startled they broke the kiss and looked at each other.  
"PAIGE??? ARE YOU UP THERE?" Piper's voice was again heard through the whole house.  
Now the two lovers started to giggle. And when they heard steps coming closer they fixed their closes hastily.  
Right when the last button was fixed the oldest of the sisters opened the door.  
"Piper can't you knock?" the witch-whitelighter exclaimed walking over to her sister.  
The newcomer turned slightly red, but then laughed. "Sorry... I guess I have to get used to do that again... Didn't mean to interrupt you."  
Now Kyle, who still sat - now crossleged - on the bed, blushed a little and said: "Oh you didn't interrupt us, don't worry..."  
Piper now laughed even more. "Yeah I can see that," she said. Then she left the room while saying: "If you don't mind little sister, it would be nice if you could begin with setting the table...NOW..." Then she was gone.  
The witch-whitelighter sighed and turned around. Then she, too, began to laugh.  
"What?" Kyle asked confused.  
Paige came closer and pointed at the lines of buttons on his shirt. In his hurry he had mistaken one and buttoned his shirt the wrong way.  
"Ups," Kyle said blushing, but then he laughed, too, and pulled her close again.

& & & & &

"Oh... no no no no no!" Piper exclaimed as she came down the stairs and saw Victor setting the table.  
"What?" the man asked confused.  
"You're our guest, Dad, let Paige do this..." his eldest complained.  
Victor just grinned: "Piper, honey, I love you... but I'm not going to sit down all the time and do nothing, ok...? Plus, I guess Paige has other things to do..." And when his daughter sent him a questioning look he added: "I once was young and freshly in love, too, you know?"  
This made Piper blush: "Ok... really don't need that picture..."  
For a moment they both shared a heartily giggle. Then she asked him: "Where's the rest?"  
Victor stopped and frowned as if he was hard thinking. "Well... Bianca and Angela are in the kitchen, Cole wanted to check on the babies and Phoebe followed him, Paige is upstairs with Kyle. And Steve, Nicki and Veronica are in the living room, waiting for Chris, and Leo is there too - he just came back. And Tom and Wyatt are outside building a snowman. And..."  
"Wait... waiting for Chris? Where is he?" Piper interrupted him.  
Victor smiled: "I was just getting to that point, honey... Michael and Chris orbed away about an hour ago... they wanted to check out a cemetery somewhere... But they promised to be back on time."  
"WHAT?" Piper exclaimed. "TODAY???" And as Victor nodded she turned her head to the ceiling and screamed: "CHRISTOPHER PERRY HALLIWELL GET YOUR ASS BACK HERE RIGHT NOW! It's Christmas for God's sake! YOU ARE SO GROUNDED YOUNG MAN!"  
Victor looked at his daughter and all he could do was laugh.

& & & & &

When Chris orbed into the dark alley, he could hear his mother's voice in his head and groaned. He's head still ached from the after-effects of his vision and the yelling didn't help. But he had to push those thoughts and feelings into the back of his mind, like he once was used to. Business was all that mattered right now, he himself wasn't important at the moment, but this innocent little girl... she was.  
And as soon as he had fully reformed he heard someone talking and someone crying. Ignoring the cold that ate on him again and looking around he saw some movements on the other end of the alley. He walked into that direction and noticed that there was a man who tried to calm down a woman who was holding a child in her arms. 'Annie!' Chris thought and ran over to them.  
"It's ok, Miss... Please calm down, they will be here any minute," the man just said.  
What Chris didn't know, was that this man had heard the painful screams of the woman and came to her help. When he had seen the girl, shot by an arrow, he had immediately called 911 with his mobile phone, just a few moments ago.  
"Annie!" Chris exclaimed as he sank down by the girl's side.  
The scared mother looked up and paled when she saw the Elder-witch. She couldn't understand what he was doing there, right now. Why was he there... again? Had he maybe something to do with all this. "What do you want?" she screamed therefore. "Leave us alone!"  
The man with the mobile phone frowned and asked: "Who are you?"  
Chris just looked at him, while feeling Annie's pulse, then he snapped: "Someone who's able to save her!"  
The man grinned: "Yeah, sure buddy. I guess you better leave, the ambulance will be here any moment."  
"What?" Chris exclaimed. Then he muttered: "Oh no...no..." The ambulance was the last thing he needed. He had to get Annie away, now, before they would arrive.  
So he turned to Annie's mother who hold the unconscious girl tightly in her arms and eyed Chris warily, while backing away from him. "Listen, Daniel has sent me!" Chris tried.  
The woman froze looking at him confused.  
'Good, now I have her attention,' Chris thought. Then he went on talking to her: "I won't hurt you, or her, I swear. But please let me help her."  
In the distance he heard the sirens of the ambulance approaching. The other man put his hand on Chris's shoulder: "Man, you better leave now, the doctors will take care of her."  
Chris shrugged the hand off and kept talking to the woman, his voice beggingly: "You will lose her, if you won't let me help?"  
Again the other man approached him, trying to send Chris away. But the Elder-witch wouldn't let him. Turning around and raising his hands in order to push him telekinetically away, he saw how the man suddenly froze. Shocked he looked at his hands. Since when could he do that?  
But he quickly overcame the shock and turned back to Annie and her mother who was staring at the frozen man, even more scared now. Chris moved nearer to her again. "Please," he begged, "I know you have no reason to trust me, but I really just want to save her."  
The sirens of the ambulance came closer and closer with every second that passed. The woman didn't know what to do. All this was too much for her. She heard the ambulance coming nearer. They would come, they would save her daughter, wouldn't they? And this man in front of her, he said he would save her. He had said Danny had sent him, how could he even know about him? And... Annie had trusted him, Annie had said he's an angel... What if he really was? She looked down at the still form of her child. Annie was so deadly pale by now that her heart broke at the sight. With red and wet eyes she turned to Chris again and said: "Please... save her..."  
Chris didn't need to hear more. He stepped forward and grabbed her arm while touching Annie. There was no time to lose as the sirens were pretty close now. "Don't be afraid," he said calmly, then he orbed with both of them away.  
The next moment the man unfroze and looked around confused. What had happened? Where were that woman and child gone? Had he maybe just dreamt all this? Right that moment an ambulance stopped at the entrance of the alley...

& & & & &

Amy was still looking at Michael, still smiling, through now it was more serious, than it had been before. "Well, first of all I wanted to make sure, that you know we're alright. After we escaped the horrible events back there in Camelot..." By these words Gareth winced a little, but Amy went on: "... we came here, and here is where we lived our life until we died. By then we had four children, and lots of grandchildren... And all that we had because you warned me, because you gave me the chance to save him."  
"You're welcome," Michael muttered. "But the letter said all that already... well, not all, but... it said you survived."  
"Well, there is something more we wanna tell you... something we wanna give you," Gareth said.  
"You know," Amy began to explain, when she saw the frown on Michael's face, "Arthur was a great man and a great king. And do you know why he was this?"  
Michael shrugged: "Because he had the sword?"  
Gareth laughed at that, so Amy slapped him playfully. Then she turned to Michael again: "No... the most important thing was that he wasn't sitting on his thrown looking down on the world around him. He had friends which he put onto the same level than himself, and that kept him grounded."  
Now Michael nodded: "The knights of the round table..."  
"Exactly," Gareth said, "and now that your friend Chris is supposed to be the new heir of the sword, he needs someone by his side, too."  
"Someone to look out for him, and to save his back at the same time. Someone he can rely on, no matter what," Amy added. And when Michael looked at her she added: "And one of them is you!"  
"Me?? Oh... No I don't think I... I mean... I... I'm just a mortal..."  
"So was I," Gareth said smiling, but Michael just shook his head.  
Amy took his arm to gain his attention: "Chris trusts you, he trusts you with his life. You may not be his only knight in the future, but you'll be his closest one... same as Wyatt will be for Christopher. It is meant to be like this..."  
Michael looked at her simply shocked. He didn't know what to do or say... his head was just blank. And he didn't understand how she could even know all this.  
"You can do it, I know..." Gareth said, patting his shoulder, "and therefore I want you to have this." Michael looked down to the man outstretched hands where all of a sudden a sword appeared, Gareth's sword.  
"I blessed it with a few spells so that you can use it also to defend fire- and energyballs," Amy explained. The man hesitated.  
"Come on, take it," Gareth said encouraging.  
Michael sighed: "You're sure about this?"  
Both nodded. "Yes we are," the former knight said.  
"And send Chris our greetings and a huge 'thanks'," Amy added.  
Michael nodded and then took the sword. And the same second he was overcome with that weird dizziness again.

& & & & &

"Piper? What's wrong?" Leo asked worried, as he came into the dining room.  
"Your son seems to think it's nice to disappear on Christmas Eve short before dinner, that's what is wrong!" his wife snapped back, angry.  
Leo just looked at her confused: "Which one?"  
Piper raised her hands in frustration as if she wanted to blow him up. Then she grumbled and stormed back into the kitchen.  
Leo turned to a chuckling Victor: "Did I miss something?"  
The older of the two shook his head: "No... just that Chris and Michael orbed to a cemetery for which reason ever. But I'm sure they will be back soon."  
Now the Elder sighed, as it drowned him what was going on. He shook his head: "He'll better hurry or his mom will blow up Christmas... literally."

& & & & &

Jack sat silently observing the young man who was still lying on his floor, his eyes closed and his breath calm as if he was sleeping. But Jack could tell that he wasn't. His body was still tensed, his mind was working. Then suddenly white lights appeared besides this young man, startling Jack. The Native American jumped up grabbing a knife in case he needed to fight.  
But there was no need to. When the light was gone, Jack saw that something lay on the floor besides the young man, something he knew very well, still never really saw before. And he smiled.  
Right that moment Michael began to stir, and slowly opened his eyes to look around. His eyes were burning and his sight was a little woozy but else he was ok, and glad to be back in the real world. Slowly he took in what he saw, but all he saw was the ceiling of the room, which was made of dark brown wood. So basically all he saw was a dark brown mass because of the wooziness.  
He wanted to sit up but felt a little dizzy. That's when he felt someone helping him into a sitting position.  
"Easy," Jack said, "no need to rush..."  
"Wha... What happened?" Michael asked.  
Jack sat down by his side. "You tell me," he said grinning. "You've been the one who had a meeting with the spirits."  
Michael shook his head to clear his mind. Then he mumbled: "Woa... what a dream."  
"No dream, Michael," Jack said. Then he leaned over Michael's lab and picked something up that lay on the other side. He looked at it for a moment, then he smiled and gave it to the young man: "I guess that's yours."  
Michael took it, the sword, the sword of Gareth, and looked at Jack frowning. "How did you..."  
"Oh I did nothing," Jack smiled. "While you were in your vision the sword appeared by your side. Since no one was able to get it out of its grave I guess it's meant to be yours."  
Michael looked at the sword and then at Jack again. "It's grave?"  
Jack nodded: "The sword belongs to our ancestors since many, many years. It was always meant to be passed on from generation to generation like the legend that made me find you today. But when the white man came, my ancestors figured the sword wouldn't be save anymore. So they put it in a cave into a stone grave, which was sealed by powerful spirits. No one was able to open it since then. All that we had left, were some drawings of it."  
"Wow..." was all Michael could say to this. Then he said: "But, I can't keep it when it's so important to your family." And he offered the sword to Jack to take it back.  
But the man pushed Michael's hands back and with this the sword back to his lab. "This sword is meant for you... we were just its keeper, so to say. I'm proud that I have seen it in real today, I always dreamt of it, but that's all... This is how it's supposed to be. You are meant to have it."  
Michael nodded, still amazed. "Thanks," he muttered. Then looking around he noticed someone was missing. "Where is Chris?"

* * *

_(Chapter 9 written by Belén and Chrissy.W.x)_


	10. Chapter 10

**A Charmed Story - Part Twelve:  
A Halliwell Christmas Carol  
Chapter 10**

Chris had orbed with Annie and her mom to his office at magic school. As soon as they had fully reformed, the woman had to fight a huge dizziness, while Chris checked again on the girl.  
When her stomach finally stopped turning she looked around and asked scared: "What was that, where are we and... WHO are you????"  
Chris who had just felt for Annie's pulse again, which was getting weaker with ever second, looked up: "No time for that, you need to get the arrow out!"  
"What?" the woman just shrieked, holding closer to the little girl.  
"I can't do it, because that damn thing is poisoned. It will kill me same as it is now killing her, so if you want me to safe her you have to get that thing out of her!" Chris yelled back at her, since calm reasoning seemed not to work with the woman anymore.  
Annie's mom had a look of panic on her face. She was like frozen unable to do anything. She was so scared, she couldn't lose her daughter, not her, too.  
"Damn it!" Chris exclaimed, grabbing the woman by the shoulders to look her in the eyes. "Listen to me, and listen carefully. YOU-NEED-TO-GET-THAT-ARROW-OUT! NOW!!!!!!"  
The woman just looked at him, not moving. Chris could tell that she was in shock, but that didn't help the situation. So he sighed and looked around. He would use his telekinesis, but after what happened earlier, he didn't trust this power right now. Therefore he needed something to protect himself... a towel maybe or a piece of...  
He spotted the pillows on his sofa. That would do it - hopefully. He quickly grabbed one and tore off the pillow case. Then he went over and wrapped it around the end of the arrow, carefully, not to touch it.  
"What are you doing?" the woman asked scared, her voice sounding like it wouldn't belong to her.  
"Saving her," Chris replied matter of factly. Then he took a deep breath and grabbed the arrow where he had wrapped it in the pillow case. He closed his eyes, hoping that the girl wouldn't feel the pain because she was unconscious. And with one quick move he tore that damn thing out of her shoulder. Annie didn't move.  
Chris threw the arrow into a trashcan and fried it with a flash so that no one could get hurt by it anymore. This made the woman jump a little in fear, making her let go of the girl, so Chris immediately picked Annie's small body up to his arms and placed her on the sofa. Then he put his hands over the now heavily bleeding shoulder. Only a moment later the golden glow appeared, but first nothing seemed to happen.  
Chris was a little worried that the arrow could be poisoned with that new improved poison. Then he would need Odin's help, since he is one of the few who by now were able to heal such a wound - and somehow he didn't want this story to make its way to the upper world. But then he noticed with relieve that the wound slowly closed and he could feel the life returning to her body. 'Thanks God,' he thought.  
When it was done Annie didn't wake up right away. But he hadn't expected that, since she had been pretty close to death. She would need a moment to recover fully. So he rose and turned around to the woman who stood behind him. "She'll be fine," he said calmly.  
The woman just looked at him, then she threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly. "Thanks... Thanks so much," she muttered against his chest, crying because of her relieve. "You are truly an angel."  
Chris smiled embarrassed and separated her from himself so that he could look at her: "No, I'm not... Special, maybe... But I'm not an angel." She nodded, through he was sure she would always see an angel in him. So he sighed and went on: "Annie should wake up soon, until then you can stay here in my office. I'll make sure that someone will get you a room later, because I think it's better you stay here tonight. It's the safest place you can think of. But I have to go now, since I have to check on a friend of mine."  
The woman nodded lowering her eyes. But then she looked up again. "I... I don't want to be rude, but... Can't you stay? Because I guess Annie will be pretty sad, when she finds out that you have saved her and she couldn't thank you herself."  
Chris smiled at her, nodding. "I promise I'll come back later. You're sure you're ok here?" The woman nodded and when she did, Chris orbed away to pick up Michael.

& & & & &

Wyatt giggled when Tom held him up to put the last branch into the snowman. Once Wyatt was back on the ground, Tom took a step back to look at their masterpiece. "What do you think, Wyatt? Did we do a good job?"  
"Yes! Yes!" The little boy answered with glee, a big smile crossing his face. But Tom felt like something was missing. 'Eyes, check. Nose, check. Mouth, check. Arms, check. Heck, we even have buttons down the front! So what's missing?' Tom thought, as he stared hard at the man of snow. And then it hit him. "Hat and scarf!" he said, and then turning to Wyatt, asked, "Do you know where we can find a hat and a scarf for our nice snowman?" Wyatt thought for a moment, and then blue orbs appeared around his hands. And sure enough, they formed into a hat and a scarf.  
"Perfect!" Tom exclaimed. Then he picked up Wyatt again, so that the little boy could place the black hat on the head, and then the multicolored scarf around the neck. "Now that's one handsome snowman!" He said as he placed Wyatt on the ground again.  
"Another one?" Wyatt asked, looking up at Tom with a big grin.  
"Sorry, Sport. It's time to go in. But maybe later..." The man said, as Wyatt's grin turned into a pout. Tom looked at the little boy sympathetically, and held out his hand. Wyatt took it reluctantly, and the two went inside.  
"Did someone say 'food'?" Tom joked, as he closed the door behind him, even though he hadn't heard anything.  
"No, but I thought I heard something about setting the table." Veronica said as she came to check on who came in.  
"Close enough." Tom said, then turned his attention to Wyatt. "Let's get you out of that snowsuit."  
"Did you have fun making your snowman, Wyatt?" Veronica asked, as she helped Tom peel the suit off of the little boy.  
"Yes! Lots of fun!" Wyatt said, as happy as any child should be at Christmas time.

& & & & &

"Don't worry Piper," Angela tried to calm down the angry woman. "Michael knows he will have to sleep on the couch for at least the rest of this year when he doesn't show up on time... So be sure they will be here!"  
Bianca chuckled: "That's a good idea. I have to try that one on Chris, too, someday."  
Piper just rolled her eyes, still pissed. But she knew those two women wouldn't understand her anyway. Because if they would they wouldn't have let them go at all...  
She went over to the oven to check on the turkey again which would need about 30 more minutes. So it was time to cook the potatoes. While she did that she thought back to the last two Christmas they had... those with Chris, or better, those without him.  
The first year when he was in the past, they hardly had seen him on Christmas. It was before they knew who he was, around the time when there had been a lot of trust-issues in the air. And to be honest, back then she had been glad that she didn't have to deal with him those days. She still didn't know where he had been those days and now she wondered if she should ask. But then she thought that this would probably just open old wounds, so she threw this thought away.  
The following year they did know who Chris is... But still Christmas was anything else than perfect. There had been this trouble with the school, where a lot of stuff needed to be settled, so Chris was hardly home. And there had been that clan of demons who had been after Paige. They had the habit to spit acid at their targets which – in the end - meant the death of the Christmas tree. Not only did these demons ruin a good part of it... Piper, in order to blow those guys back into hell, sentenced the remainings to a quick death on her own. This was also the reason why they hadn't invite Victor back then, it had been too risky.  
But this year things should be different. This should be the Christmas Chris deserved, the one they all deserved. But no, her oldest has to go on some trip an hour before dinner.  
Still angry she left the kitchen again, to see if Wyatt was back in the house. She passed through the dining room, this time not caring about her father, who still talked to her husband. Entering the hallway she heard Veronica and Tom talking, while they undressed her little boy who was smiling over his whole face. Piper had to smile, too. She was happy for him, since snow was more than rare in San Francisco, and that enlighted her own mood.  
Then she turned her attention to the other two people: "You know, you can also stay for dinner if you want."  
Veronica looked at her and smiled: "No, thanks... But we are supposed to eat with my parents, and Steve and Nicki will be at the school with their parents... so, thanks but no."  
"Yeah," Tom agreed, "as much as I would like to stay and taste your wonderful meal, we have to go... we would be gone already, we're only waiting for Chris. Do you know when he'll be back?"  
Piper's smile faded and she turned on her heels and marched back into the kitchen grumbling.  
Tom turned to his girlfriend, while Wyatt - finally freed from his snowdress - ran into the living room: "Did I say something wrong?" Veronica just shrugged in response.

& & & & &

Michael jumped up as soon as he saw the first orb lights enter the room, yelling at the bundle of lights: "Where have you been?"  
When Chris finally reformed completely he chuckled at his friend's behavior, saying: "Will you let me arrive first...?" But Michael just looked at him with his arms crossed in front of his chest. So Chris sighed and explained: "There was someone I needed to save."  
"Someone?" Michael asked.  
Chris nodded: "A young girl of maybe 5 years... I'm not sure. She was shot by a darklighter."  
Immediately Michael's expression changed from angry to worried: "Oh my God... is she fine? Are YOU fine?"  
The Elder-witch smiled and nodded again: "Everyone is fine, don't worry... But mom was yelling for me, and through she has stopped by now... Finally!" The last word was directed to the ceiling. Then he looked at his friend again and continued: "We should go home..." He looked around. "Where is Jack?" he asked when he didn't see the man.  
"Gone," Michael said. "He couldn't wait any longer, since he is supposed to meet with his own family. But he told me to send you some greetings..."  
"He left you alone, unprotected?" Chris exclaimed.  
Now Michael laughed: "I'm not a baby, ok? What shall happen to me here, huh? It's not like this is the underworld or something... Plus, I got this." And with those words he held the sword so that Chris noticed it.  
"What's that?" Chris asked frowning.  
Michael chuckled: "A sword." But when he saw his friend rolling his eyes he added: "It was Gareth's sword. You know? The one who married Amy. She put a spell on it to let it deflect also energy balls and fire balls... isn't that cool... She said, I'm supposed to be your knight."  
Now Chris rose his eye brows: "Yeah sure... In your dreams..."  
"But..."  
"No! I surely won't take you with me when I fight demons, got it... I'm not going to risk your life!"  
Michael nodded: "Thanks, but... from what Amy said, I'll need it someday, though she hasn't clarified for what exactly."  
"You talked to her?"  
Michael just nodded and then said: "But I'll tell you about that later... First we have a dinner to attend."  
Chris nodded and then all of a sudden his eyes started to sparkle and he smiled. He thought about the dinner, the delicious turkey his mom had made every year when he was little and he had no doubt that it would be just as good as that, this year. And he also thought about the tree, and the gifts for Wyatt... and he wondered if there would be a gift for him, too. Suddenly he felt so excited about it, like if he would be still a child...  
"What?" Michael asked seeing that weird expression on his friend's face.  
Chris shook his head: "Nothing... Come one, before Santa takes our gifts away, because we're late." And with this he orbed them both home...

& & & & &

When she stormed into the kitchen again, Piper headed straight for the oven. As she opened it to check on the turkey, she heard, "It's not going to cook, if you keep opening the oven."  
"Huh?" Piper said, turning around to find Bianca and Angela still in the kitchen.  
"The turkey. It won't cook if you keep opening the oven." Bianca said again. Piper stared at her for a moment before turning back and slamming the oven door shut.  
"If I could, I'd blow him up as soon as he gets back!" Piper said, out of frustration, as she looked at her daughter-in-law.  
"No, you wouldn't. He's your son. And you love him. He'll be back soon." Bianca said, as she walked over to Piper, and put both hands on her shoulders.  
"He shouldn't have left in the first place! This is all for him!" She said irritated, as she shrugged Bianca off, feeling like she was repeating herself. She walked over to the stove to check on the potatoes, trying to keep herself busy, so she wouldn't have to think about Chris. Which was all she could think of. She knew how simple, innocent little trips could turn deadly, especially for this family.  
"Piper. Piper!" Bianca said, taking the fork out of Piper's hand, before she mashed the still boiling potatoes with it. "Why don't you go play with Wyatt, or Baby Christopher?"  
"No time. Too much to do before dinner." She said, distracted, then catching movement out of the corner of her eye, she looked out into the dining room and saw her father still setting the table. "Paige!" She said under her breath. Before Bianca could say another word, Piper was out of the kitchen and in the dining room. Leo and Victor looked up as she came in.  
"Dad, step away from the table!" Piper said, pointing at Victor, as she walked past. Victor put the utensils back on the table, and backed up. He slowly turned his head toward Leo, and shared a wide-eyed look with his son-in-law. Piper walked out of the room on a mission, and failed to see the orbs forming behind her.

& & & & &

Their shirts lay in a pile on the floor, near the door, as Paige and Kyle lay in each others arms on the bed, kissing passionately. It felt so good, so right, that everything else was forgotten. The world around them just disappeared. It was just them, the bed and a perfect moment in time. The kind of moment everyone wishes for, but fewer and fewer people can find in this day and age. And a moment that is easily broken.  
Just then the door burst open, and Paige looked up ready to orb Kyle to safety, only to see Piper standing in the doorway, and not a demon. Though from the look on Piper's face, Paige would have preferred a demon.  
"Aren't you forgetting something?" Piper said, arms crossed, glaring at her little sister.  
"Forgetting?" Paige tried, wrapping herself in her arms, and playing the innocent.  
"The table! You are supposed to be setting the table!" Piper said, aggravated.  
"Okay, okay. I'm coming. But could you..." She said, making a turning motion with her hand.  
"Oh, please! Like I've never seen you in your bra before. Here!" Piper said, as she tossed Paige her shirt. Paige pulled it on, and got up, looking apologetically at Kyle. He smiled back at her, understanding her plight.  
"Okay, enough of that! You can get back to it after dinner, when the kids are asleep. Now move it! Come on!" Piper said, as she motioned Paige out of the door, and started to usher her down the hall toward the stairs.  
"Yes, mom." Kyle heard Paige say, as he picked up his shirt, and after buttoning it, correctly this time, followed. He smiled, because somehow this whole situation was pretty amusing.

& & & & &

Chris orbed himself and Michael directly to the dinning room of the manor. They appeared right in front of Leo and Victor, startling the latter. Chris immediately cursed himself for being so careless. He put a hand on the man's shoulder and asked: "You're alright?"  
Victor grinned. Yes, he was fine, since he had expected his grandson to return this way. Still it startled him, but just a tiny little bit. So he grinned and nodded: "Don't worry... Just maybe I should have bought a cow bell for you for Christmas... to announce your arrival."  
Chris looked at him with faked hurt, but then he laughed and pulled the man into a hug.  
Victor laughed, too, while he hugged him back. And when they pulled apart he said: "I hope you have a good excuse for staying away that long, because your mother is really 'not amused'."  
Chris turned to Michael who smiled at him - and saw the sword in his hands. So he turned back to his grandfather with a smile and winked at him: "Yeah, we have a very good one."  
Then Chris turned to his father. He just looked at him for a moment and everyone in the room could see how his eyes brightened. Then, without warning, he pulled the man into a bone crashing hug.  
To say the Elder was surprised by this would be an understatement. It wasn't that father and son weren't close... because they really were. Leo and Chris were closer to each other then both had thought would be possible with all that had happened in Chris' past. Still this was something special. And Leo did what felt right that moment, he put his arms around his son and hugged him back.  
For Chris this felt good. He wanted to say 'thank you', through it wouldn't reach the person this message really was directed to. But this was all he had now, so he said it anyway. "Thanks dad."  
Leo pulled away and looked at his son: "For what?"  
Chris smiled brightly and wanted to reply something, explain what he had seen in his vision, but he didn't have the chance.  
Because right that moment Paige walked into the dining room, with Piper hot on her heels. She gave Chris a squeeze on the shoulder as she walked past and heard Leo whisper "Good luck" to him before backing away.  
"Mom!" Chris said, a big smile crossing his face, arms open for a hug.  
"Don't mom, me!" Piper said angrily, stopping short of his open arms, hands on her hips. "What were you thinking? It's Christmas Eve, for God's sake!"  
"Mom..." Chris started, but was quickly silenced by his mother.  
"No, Chris. You should have known better then to run off! With our family's history, nothing is as simple as 'I'll be back before dinner'." She said, her concern showing through her aggravation.  
Paige, having made her way partway around the table, leaned towards Leo, while watching Piper and Chris. "Chris went out before dinner?" she asked quietly, having been too preoccupied to notice Chris's earlier absence.  
"Yes. And he just got back." Leo whispered back to her.  
"So that's why she's so angry." She said, as she went back to setting the table.  
"Mom..." Chris tried again, with the same result, and starting to get a little annoyed.  
"Chris, this Christmas was supposed to be perfect. It was supposed to make up for the last couple of Christmases." Piper said, starting to break down.  
Paige, half listening, leaned over to Leo again. "How many people are staying for dinner?" she asked.  
Leo looked at her, astonished, for a moment, before answering her. "Eleven plus Wyatt" he whispered  
Then he noticed that Piper and Chris were drawing a crowd. Kyle was standing in the doorway, watching silently. Tom, Veronica, Nikki, and Steve came into the hallway, when they heard Chris's name, leaving Wyatt to play with his toys, but didn't dare to come closer. Before Steve could say a word, Nikki had her hand over his mouth, so as not to interrupt. And Michael and Victor were standing off to the side, listening intently.  
"But why?" Chris asked, not understanding Piper's distress.  
"For you. It was supposed to be perfect, for you!" Her eyes started to tear up, just then, for all the frustration that had built up, was finally released. And her worries with it.  
"Mom." Chris said again, looking into her damp brown eyes, a sweet smile forming on his lips. As his eyes filled with tears, too, he pulled her into a big hug. "It's all right. All I need for a perfect Christmas is you." He pulled her back to look at her. "You. And Dad, Wyatt and mini-me, and Aunt Phoebe, Uncle Cole, Aunt Paige, Grandpa, and of course Bianca, and Hope." He looked around at those gathered around him, a tear making its way down his cheek. "All my family and wonderful friends. That's all I need. That's all I ever needed."  
"That's so sweet." Paige said, brushing a tear from her eyes with one hand, and placing the last plate on the table with the other. Piper let out a laugh just then, realizing that that was all she needed for a perfect Christmas, too. She lightly brushed the tear from Chris's cheek, and smiled up at him. Feeling very relieved and stress free for the first time all day. She looked around at her family and friends, and felt their warmth and love wash over her like a tidal wave, filling her with hope.  
Angela and Bianca came in just then, and when Bianca saw Piper and Chris, she knew everything was okay. She made her way over to her husband, and gave him a big hug and kiss. "You all right?" she asked a moment later, as she looked up into his beautiful green eyes.  
"Never been better," he said, giving Bianca a little squeeze, and his mother a little smile. Angela, watching all this, walked over to Michael, and after giving him a light slap to the chest, wrapped her arms around him, letting the joy-filled moment engulf her. But she soon pulled back when she realized he only held her with one arm. As she looked down and saw the sword in his hand, her smile quickly turned to a frown.  
"What's this?" She asked, worried.  
"I'll explain everything later." Michael reassured her, and as he gave her a kiss on the forehead, a little timer went off in the kitchen.  
"That would be the potatoes, with the turkey soon to follow." Bianca announced. And the moment was broken. Piper wiped her eyes, and composed herself, and looking at Bianca asked, "Would you help me in the kitchen, please?"  
"Of course," she said, then she kissed Chris on the cheek and went back into the kitchen.  
"Leo, would you go tell Phoebe and Cole that dinner will be ready in a few minutes, please?" Piper asked, just before she followed Bianca.  
"Yes, of course." Leo answered, then headed past Kyle and up the stairs.

& & & & &

While everyone was busy again, through the atmosphere had really cleared and all was more relaxed now, Victor put his hand on Chris's shoulder and nodded towards Tom, Steve, and the girls. "They want to talk to you before they go," he explained.  
"Thanks, Grandpa." Chris said before walking over to the four friends, who were suddenly looking very excited to see him.  
Chris shook his head when he saw Veronica and Nicki, hardly able to stand still, and Tom and Steve grinning widely. Smiling he asked: "What are you doing here? I thought you're supposed to be with your own families right now."  
"We are," Tom agreed while his girlfriend gave Chris a hug.  
"Yeah, but we wanted to give you your gifts before," Nicki explained. Then she hugged him, too.  
And Steve added: "We wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas, face to face."  
Chris smiled and hugged the men, too, saying: "Thanks, but you really didn't have to get me something."  
"We know..." his friends answered in unison and started to laugh again. "Actually it was quite funny to wait for you," Tom said then, "I build a snowman together with your brother."  
"Really?" Chris asked smiling.  
Tom nodded: "Yeah it's outside in front of your house..."  
The Elder-witch chuckled, then he said: "Oh I'm a bad host, won't you come in and sit down?"  
Steve sighed: "No... we've been sitting here waiting for you, for a while already... But we really need to go now..."  
Chris nodded, visibly sad: "Yeah, if I had known I'd tried to be back earlier. But you see, there was this little girl, Annie. She was shot by a darklighter."  
"WHAT?" all four exclaimed.  
Chris just nodded: "She's fine, don't worry. Right now she's with her mom at my office at the school... Steve, when you go back there later, can you make sure they get a proper room for the night?" Steve and Nicki both nodded. Chris sighed: "Thanks."  
"No problem," Nicki said, "but now you have to open the gifts we have for you." And with this she pulled out a little box wrapped in golden paper, decorated with a big loop.  
"Oh, but I don't have anything to give you right now, since I brought your gifts already up there for the party in two days..." Chris said, feeling a little bad about that.  
"Oh come one... We know that, still we want you to open those now. We wanna see you reaction... so just do it, will you?" Nicki insisted.  
The Elder-witch nodded, took the box from his friend's hand and unwrapped it. Actually he felt even a little nervous while opening it, just like if he would be a 5 year old excited about his gift. He opened the little box which was hidden under the paper and loop. And when he looked inside he grinned: "A mood ring?"  
Nicki laughed: "No... It looks like one, true, but no. It's more. This is a ring of the protectors. Wear it left for protection wear it right for strengthen your powers. And the added stone will change the color when it senses evil."  
Chris looked at her, then back at the ring, and then back at her with a smile: "Wow... Thank you!"  
"Now, mine," Tom said, giving Chris another box, which was a little larger, wrapped in the same style as Nicki's but in different colors.  
Chris smiled as he opened it and found an old hour glass. It was large, and made of wood with some gold applications here and there. And the sand inside was sparkling. "Oh my... is this an elf's hour glass?"  
Tom grinned when he saw the excitement in Chris' eyes: "Yes it is..."  
"So you know about those things?" Veronica asked, since she herself did have no idea until Tom had told her about it.  
Chris nodded: "Yeah this hour glass helps you, by showing you things from your past. It reminds you of things when you need to remember them... All you have to do is observe the falling sand..." Then he turned to Tom again: "Thanks. This is an amazing gift!"  
The young man smiled. "You're welcome."  
"Mine shall be the next one," Veronica said then and gave Chris another little box.  
The Elder-witch smiled and opened it. Inside the box, wrapped in cloth was a little snow globe. It showed a couple standing in the snow, holding hands, next to a snowman."  
"Don't you agree that those two almost look like you and Bianca?" Veronica said excited. Chris had to agree on that. "And it's a music box, playing a romantic melody."  
"Thanks," Chris said, "that's beautiful."  
Now it was Steve's turn. "That's from me," he said as he gave Chris a large box.  
Chris took it, complaining that they all had spent too much money for him... But when he saw what Steve had bought for him he lost his voice for a moment. "Wow," he muttered as he pulled out a sheath. It was beautiful handwork, made of fine leather and decorated with old symbols. It looked like it was a few centuries old but it was absolutely flawless.  
"I though you need something to transport Excalibur in the proper way... in case you wanna take the sword with you," Steve explained.  
Chris was still speechless, he just looked at the sheath and shook his head. "Really," he said then, "this is far too much, I don't..."  
"Oh no!" Nicki exclaimed. "Don't even think about complaining. Got it? Those gifts are for you... And we want you to be happy about them. So no 'that's too much' ok?"  
The Elder-witch nodded smiling: "Thanks so much for all this. I can't even find words for telling you how much this means to me... Thank you, thank you, thank you." And again he hugged them all, truly thankful. Those gifts really were amazing and more than he would have ever expected.  
When they finally parted the four friends had to say goodbye, since their parents would be already waiting for them. "Tell the others some greetings," Steve said. Chris nodded and then Tom shimmered them away.  
Meanwhile Victor had observed the scene from the door to the dining room, smiling. He didn't know what happened, when his grandson was away, but something did happen, that he was sure of. Chris visibly had relaxed and was more at ease. Plus, he was really excited. It seemed to Victor that the Christmas spirit had finally found a way into his grandson's heart.

& & & & &

A couple of minutes later all the family and their guests were seated at the dining table. The Halliwells did own a huge table, already. But for this dinner they had enlarged it a little - magically. "God, this family has really grown a lot," Phoebe had complained earlier, when she saw all the mess. But in fact she knew that this family was better then everything she could have wished for.  
Now they all sat there, talking lively and waiting for Piper and Bianca to come in with the turkey. In fact they had two of them. One wouldn't have been enough for all of them. But the other one was at Chris' apartment at the school, and they would pick it up 15 minutes later, since they started that one a little later, too. This way it would be fresh when it was needed.  
Then finally Bianca came in with a bowl of sauce followed by Piper who carried the turkey on a plate. Everyone cheered when they saw that wonderful and absolutely delicious looking bird, congratulating Piper even before they had tasted it.  
"Oh wait until you had the first bite... I'm afraid I used a little too much pepper," Piper warned smiling.  
Cole then grinned. "Well then better give us something before we starve," he said, earning a slap on his arm by his wife.  
"Ok.... who shall spread the turkey???" Piper asked then. And when everyone looked at her she added: "Oh no... I had all the work today, now it's MY time to relax." And with this she sat down to underline her point.  
Chris grinned at her and offered to do it, but Victor interrupted him: "I guess it's a family tradition of ours... well back before Patty and I..." he interrupted himself, he didn't want to go there right now, to be honest. "Well, what I wanna say, it's tradition that always the oldest has to cut and spread the turkey..."  
Piper laughed and agreed enthusiastically. Chris and Bianca started laughing, too, when they saw the faces of Michael and Angela after they told them what this meant. Paige and Kyle also agreed, not that it really mattered to them who gave them their food... not that the food mattered at all since they almost only had eyes for each other. Leo also nodded and then took care of Wyatt again, who was about to play with the salt on the table. So Piper finally took the knife and gave it to Cole.  
The man - who had been a little distracted by the woman by his side - turned to her questioning: "Me?"  
"You're the oldest," Piper said. "Not even Leo can beat your age..."  
"Awww.. you make me sound so old..." Leo complained, laughing.  
Cole still hesitated: "I don't know if I'm... I mean... it's your turkey I..."  
"Oh come on, it's just a turkey... And it will get cold if you don't get your butt to move," The oldest of the sisters explained.  
Cole grinned the nodded: "Ok." Then he stood up and went around the table to the huge turkey. And when he ceremoniously cut in the bird and the stuffing came out the whole place smelled like onions, like apples, like cinnamon... like Christmas.

* * *

_(Chapter 10 written by Kirianna Ledräen and Chrissy.W.x)_


	11. Chapter 11

**A Charmed Story - Part Twelve:  
A Halliwell Christmas Carol  
Chapter 11**

The family-Christmas-dinner went on in a very happy and relaxed way. Everyone enjoyed each other's company on this special day. Piper was floated with compliments for the wonderful meal, and a little later again a second time when the other bird was served. Then everyone giggled when Wyatt decided to eat his mashed potatoes with his fingers... Oh yeah, this was fun. Through the boy quickly took the spoon again, when Leo reminded him that Santa was probably still watching him... And all the time, Christopher and Hope were playing in the playpen near by (since they had been fed already).  
"So," Cole then looked over at Michael, "what is it with the sword you brought with you?"  
Chris sighed: "I don't think that's the right time to discuss." And his friend nodded in agreement.  
"Oh come on," Angela encouraged her husband, "just spill it..."  
"Well," Michael started, hesitating. He knew it wouldn't end up good if he explained it all. But his wife kept asking. "It was the sword of Gareth and... Amy gave it to me."  
"Amy?" Bianca asked confused.  
"That girl from the Middle Age?" This was Victor, and Chris nodded.  
"And why?" Angela then asked.  
Michael shrugged: "Well... she said, I'm supposed to be Chris' knight and therefore I need something to defend myself."  
For a moment everyone fell silent, just looking at the man and at Chris in turns. "NO!" Angela exclaimed then, looking straight at Chris. "I won't allow you to take him with you when you go after a demon or something. He's just a mortal! Got it?"  
Chris rose his hands in defense: "Don't look at me, I already told him that this whole idea is crazy!"  
"It's not," Michael gave back. And suddenly all the peace seemed to slip away and even Wyatt looked up from his plate. "It's logical," the man went on, "you are the owner of Excalibur. And as Arthur did, you'll need people to trust and to rely on. Your knights. And as your friend I'll be one of them, I already am. And I don't plan to go after a demon with you, or something. I will just be there for you whenever you need me, as I already do... And if that puts me into danger, then now I'll be able to defend myself! Not more, not less."  
After this was said, again silence filled the room. No one really knew what to say to this. Chris looked seriously at his friend suddenly understanding that he was absolutely right. Then smiled, shaking his head: "Thanks."  
Leo, Victor and Cole shared a look, and then smiled, too, while Angela's face still showed all her worries. But Bianca assured her, that she would have an eye on her husband and winked.  
"So," Paige then asked, "who will be your other knights?"  
The Elder-witch looked at her wordless. He didn't know what to answer to this, because he had never thought about that... Therefore he shrugged and admitted: "I have no idea..."  
Leo sent him a calming smile: "Don't worry son, you will know it when it's time..."  
Cole giggled about this 'so-typical-Leo-comment' and said with a wink and a gesture to the Elder: "Absolutely, but I guess we all know who his Merlin is..." And everyone started to laugh while Leo blushed.

& & & & &

Later that night Cole, Chris, Michael, Phoebe, Angela and Bianca were sitting in the living room, talking, while Paige and Kyle were in the kitchen, cleaning the chaos. Phoebe and Bianca had wanted to help, but the other two insisted to do it on their own... most likely to have some more private time. Leo, Piper and Victor were meanwhile busy with getting the kids ready for bed.  
"So you really burnt down your Christmas tree?" Cole asked laughing.  
Michael nodded: "Yeah... I mean, no one planned it, but the crash let the tree fall a little to the side and the candles lit up the branches."  
"Well, you shouldn't have hunted your cat around the tree then..." Chris laughed.  
Michael looked at him with faked anger: "Hey, I was five!"  
At this Angela took his hand and caressed it lovingly. Then she took his face in her other had and made him look at him: "Well... I'm sure your parents forgave you... such a cute boy, I'm sure no one was able to be angry at you..." Again everyone laughed at this.  
Right that moment blue lights appeared on Cole's lap and formed into Wyatt: "Uncle, help me... Don't wanna go to bed!"  
"Oh.... But why?" Cole asked.  
The boy looked seriously at him: "I wanna see Santa... Wanna wait for him and say thank you to him for my gifts."  
Cole grinned at Wyatt, like everyone else in the room. Then he said: "But you know... only good kids will get gifts... and I don't think that he'll see you as a good kid, when you stay up all night."  
Wyatt frowned, then he looked at the others before he looked at Cole again: "But isn't it also a bad thing to not say thanks?"  
Now everyone laughed heartily about the boy's cute innocence, while Chris got up to kneel by his brother's side. He smiled at him and pulled a blond curl out of his face. "You know," he said, "that's why you and me made the cookies earlier, that's why they are on that plate over there by the stairs, together with the milk... to thank him. Because he loves good cookies above everything... and our's are good, right?" Wyatt smiled and nodded.  
This moment Piper came down the stairs. When she heard what they were talking about she smiled: "Wyatt... come on, it's time for bed..."  
The boy again looked at his uncle: "Promise me that no one else will eat this?"  
Cole smiled and nodded: "I swear, I will let no one else than Santa himself have it!"  
The boy sighed like an old man and then nodded: "Ok." Then his uncle kissed him on his forehead and sat him down to his feet. Wyatt then hugged Chris tightly before he ran over to his mom, who picked him up.  
Piper turned around to the others and mouthed a "Thank you" before heading up the stairs again.  
Bianca chucked as Chris sat down next to her again, pulling him into her arms.  
"You are really good at this, buddy," Michael said and Angela nodded in agreement.  
"Yeah, but you are, too," Phoebe said to her husband before kissing him.  
Cole then looked at his watch with a sigh. It was time to go. "Well," he said turning to Chris, "I guess we better get going... Maybe you could just orb us down and come back since... I mean, since we have guests."  
Chris looked at Michael and Angela, an "Oh" escaping his lips.  
"What?" Michael asked.  
"Well, actually we planed to pay another friend of us a little visit... you know..." he looked to the hallway, "without them knowing..."  
Michael looked at Cole and then back at Chris and said: "Oh..." Then he looked at his wife again and smiled at her before turning back to Chris: "Then go, before they come down again... We'll cover for you."  
"Really?" Cole asked.  
"But what will you say?" This was Bianca, who had been informed about all of this earlier.  
"Well," Angela said, through she wasn't so sure what they were talking about, but trusted her husband's decision, "we will say that Chris and Bianca looked after that girl he'd saved."  
"Yeah, and you two," with this Michael looked at Cole and Phoebe grinning, "you were just 'tired' and went to bed."  
"Thanks..." Chris said. Then he turned to his wife: "So I suggest you bring them down and I follow in a second... because I really need to check on that girl and her mother... I promised it."  
Bianca nodded and so all four left the living room by orbing and shimmering respectively.  
Angela sighed and snuggled closer to her husband, who held her close, watching the lights on the beautiful Christmas tree.

& & & & &

Chris materialized in front of a door at magic school and immediately knocked. It took a moment but then the woman opened the door.  
"Hey," Chris greeted shyly. She smiled and let him in. "How are you? Did you get everything you need?" he asked then when she had closed the door behind him.  
"Oh, we're fine... thanks to you," she replied. Right that moment the young girl came running into the room. She ran over to Chris and hugged his legs.  
"Annie, didn't I say to you, you should stay in bed?" the mother said seriously, but still smiled a little bit.  
Annie looked at her: "But Mom, I have to thank him..." Then she looked up to Chris and said: "Thank you angel. I knew you would save me."  
Chris smiled at the girl and then knelt down to her level: "I'm not an angel, sweetie. I'm just human, ok?"  
"But you are shining," the girl insisted, "I can see it."  
"I know," Chris said, but I'm still not an angel... I'm just..." He stopped unsure what to say. He looked at the girl's mother, but she just shrugged. So he turned back to the girl: "I'm just someone with a gift... a gift to help people. And that's what I do..."  
Annie sighed and looked down: "Ok..." But then she looked up and him again and asked: "But do we have to stay here?"  
"Yeah, I guess it's saver for now..." Chris answered. "Why? Don't you like it here?"  
"I do," the girl said, "but I'm afraid that Santa won't find me here..." Now her mother started to sob softly, through she still smiled.  
Chris grinned but then he remembered something...  
_"No, actually they had all been there... everyone who was on our list. But as it seems we bought one doll too much,"_ Jeremiah had said.  
'Maybe Santa really exists,' Chris thought. Then he looked at the girl again seriously..."Hmmm... you know what? This is a special place, and here usually Santa arrives a little earlier... You do know that in other places Santa arrives at a different time right? I mean he can't be everywhere at the same time, right?" The girl nodded and the mother looked at the Elder-witch interested. But he just went on: "So... Santa had already been here yesterday..."  
"Yesterday already? Oh no... I missed him," Annie was close to tears now.  
Chris just smiled at her: "No-no... Ok, he was already here, but... he left something for you."  
"He did?" both daughter and mother said in union.  
Chris nodded and held his hand behind his back to orb the remaining gift from the show to his hand, which the mother registered astonished but the girl couldn't see. Then he gave the gift to the girl, who looked at it with wide opened eyes.  
"Can I open it?" She asked.  
Chris looked up at the woman who nodded and then said: "It's up to you... if you want you can open it, or you wait until tomorrow."  
Annie frowned and then said determined: "I'll wait until tomorrow..." Then she hugged Chris again.  
"Ok young lady," her mother said, "time for bed." The girl nodded and then said good night before she heeded back to the bed room.  
The woman meanwhile turned to Chris: "You really didn't have to buy something for her."  
"I didn't," Chris answered. And when she looked at him questioning, he explained: "We had a school play yesterday, and we gave gifts to the kids... the gifts were counted, but still... after the play there was one doll left." Chris smiled at the woman who didn't know what to say to this. Then he added with a smile: "Seems Santa knew this all along... Good night. I'll come back tomorrow afternoon." Then he orbed away.

& & & & &

"This is so amazing... and weird... but mostly amazing."  
Leo chuckled as he watched his father in law rocking little Hope who was weeping softly, while he himself changed the diaper of baby-Chris.  
"You know," the man then went on, "it's hard to believe that this here is actually my great-grandchild."  
Leo now nodded: "Yeah, I now... I'm wondering about that fact, that I'm grandfather already, nearly every day..."  
Now Victor looked at the Elder: "Really? I thought you would be used to it by now."  
"Well, I doubt I will ever get used to this... It's too weird."  
The other nodded: "Yeah, I guess... But a good weird..."  
"Absolutely, a weird good family..." Leo agreed as he closed the sleepers and picked the boy up to his arms. Then he turned to the other man and smiled: "And it's good that you are a part of it."  
Victor smiled back at him, understanding: "Thanks."  
Right that moment Piper stepped through the door, Wyatt on her arms with his head on her shoulder and his thump in his mouth.  
"Ah see who's there, Hope..." Victor said looking at the girl, "you're uncle is here now... and he's going to sleep right now, too."  
Wyatt looked up when he heard his grandpa say this. "I'm a big boy," he said, making the other's chuckle.  
"Yeah and the big boy will go to sleep now, right?" Leo asked after he had laid the already half dozed off Christopher into his little bed.  
The boy nodded and as soon as his mother put him to the ground he ran over to his own bed and crawled under the blanket.  
Victor shook his head: "What have you done to him that he's so easy to get into bed?"  
Piper sighed: "I've no idea... usually he isn't like this, but maybe it's because of Christmas..."  
"I'm sure he's just afraid that Santa won't bring him anything if he doesn't behave..." Leo chuckled.  
"No!" Wyatt exclaimed pulling the blanket over his head. And then they all heard a muffled: "I'm sleeping..."  
Piper laughed and went over to him, pulling the blanket back a little. "Ok, boy... Good night, sleep well," she said and gave him a kiss. Then she said good night to the other two kids, too.  
Leo then did the same and they both stepped to the door, while Victor lay down Hope into her crib. She finally had fallen asleep, too. "You coming?" Leo asked.  
Victor looked at the girl and then at Christopher and then at Wyatt, before he turned to his daughter and son-in-law asking: "Do you mind if I read him a story or something?"  
Immediately Wyatt sat in his back again, looking at his parents expectantly.  
"Ok..." Piper said with a serious voice, "one story... But that's it, alright?" Both Victor and Wyatt nodded. So the smiling parents left the room, closing the door behind them.

& & & & &

An hour later, Belthazor looked at all the stuff Cole and the other had brought and smiled. The tree and the decorations, and all this little useless but still beautiful things. There were candles and angels and Santas and even a nutcracker... All this stuff had turned this place into a warm and cozy home. And the food, Piper's delicious work, which they had warmed up already again... And they even had bought some gifts for Julian, too. "Thanks," he said, "thanks for all of this."  
Cole looked at his brother and smiled: "You're welcome."  
"Yeah," Phoebe added, "I love Christmas shopping and this gave me the opportunity for another round."  
"Uhhh... don't remind me," Cole exclaimed, gaining a playful slap from his wife, and a chuckle from Chris. Even Belthazor laughed about this.  
Then an alarm sound was heard. "He's coming," the demon said.  
"Turn of the lights," Bianca commanded. And so they did. And then they waited in the dark... patiently.  
Soon the door to the cave was opened and a figure stepped into the dark room. "B.? Are you here?" Julian called closing the door behind him before he switched on the lights with a move of his hand.  
But when he did, he was startled to the bones when five voices screamed "SURPRISE!"  
"Wha... What's going on here?" Julian exclaimed looking around confused. Then he noticed the tree and the candles and the loops and the mistletoe and the reindeers and Santas and other stuff, the food on the lovely decorated table and... the smiling faces of Belthazor and their guests. And he almost choked out his next question: "What is this..."  
The red demon stepped closer and put an arm around his friend. Then he gestured to the stuff and said: "This is for you... Merry Christmas Julian!"  
"Yeah, Merry Christmas," the voices of the others were heard, too.  
"That... that's amazing," Julian whispered, close to tears now. "I... I can't believe it."  
"Just do it," Bianca said, as she hugged her husband close.  
"Yeah," Cole said, "this is all for you... well, and him." With the last words he gestured at the demon.  
"Belthazor told us that you wouldn't have a Christmas this year, so we thought we help you out," Phoebe explained.  
And Chris nodded agreeing: "Yeah, everyone deserves to have a Christmas... Or something similar at least."  
Now Julian began to laugh: "This... this is just unbelievable. Thank you so much!" He hugged Belthazor tightly, and then went over to the others, to give everyone a hug, too.  
Chris smiled brightly when he hugged the demonic witch back and said: "Come on, let's sit down and eat, before it gets cold."  
Julian nodded and so they did. They enjoyed the leftovers of the Halliwell-dinner, they chatted, they laughed... And Julian thought it was all he needed. Sure it was sad that his family had kicked him out, but now he realized he had found a new one. He had Belthazor, who was a great friend... no, who was like family for him. And as he now knew, Cole and Chris and their wives cared, too.  
Later, when all food was gone and they sat just there, talking, Belthazor asked his friend: "Won't you open your gifts?"  
But the demonic witch shook his head: "No... not before tomorrow."  
"Yeah, you can't open them now... it's against the rules," Phoebe agreed.  
Belthazor shrugged: "Ok... I guess I can wait this long to see your face." Julian grinned about this.  
"Well... I hope you'll like your gifts, too," Cole said then, directed at his brother.  
The demon looked at him surprised: "You got something for me, too?" And as Cole nodded the demon smiled. "Thanks." And this really came from deep inside his heart. He had just wanted to make his fried happy, but what he got was even more.  
"You're welcome," Cole replied with an understanding smile  
Julian then turned silent, staring into the nothing for a moment, thinking. First no one noticed but then Phoebe asked: "Hey, are you ok?"  
Julian looked at her: "What? Oh, yeah... I was just thinking."  
"About what?" Belthazor asked.  
"Well," Julian sighed. Then he turned to Chris: "Are you still searching for a job?"  
Chris frowned: "Yeah, why?" What was this all about?  
"Because, when I visited my grandma today, she made me a gift. But I can't take care of that on my own, since I don't live up there anymore."  
"What are you talking about?" Bianca now asked.  
Julian grinned: "I'm talking about the 'Silver Spoon'."  
"The restaurant at the bay?" Chris asked, wondering if he was really talking about that famous little restaurant, where he, too, liked to eat now and then.  
The demonic witch nodded. "Yeah, I thought you could be my manager... or - if it's too much for you with all your responsibilities - together with Piper, maybe, if she wants to. You can have half of the profit... So, what do you think?"  
Chris looked at Bianca, who squeezed his hand, then he turned back to Julian. "If you're really serious about that, then yeah, of course I'd like to work for you. But please, think through this again first. I mean, that's your gift. You just got it, so please... sleep over it first, ok?"  
Julian nodded: "Ok, I will... But I doubt I'll change my mind, since I can't think of anyone better for this job."  
Chris blushed: "Thanks."

& & & & &

When Bianca and Chris orbed home later - Phoebe and Cole had decided to stay a little longer - Piper, Leo and Victor had still been awake, sitting in the living room, talking quietly.  
"Hey," they greeted. And then Bianca asked: "Where is the rest?"  
"Michael and Angela already went to bed about half an hour ago." Piper explained.  
Leo chuckled: "And Paige and Kyle are upstairs, too, through I doubt they are sleeping."  
"Uhhh," Chris grimaced, "I really don't need that picture.  
"So, how are the girl and her mom?" Victor asked then, when the newcomers finally had sat down.  
"They are fine for now... But after the holiday we should try to find out what this is about..."  
Piper nodded: "Don't worry, we will..." Then she slapped her hands on her knees and stood up. "But now I guess I call it a day, too... Since I'm pretty sure Wyatt will wake us up early."  
"Oh yeah... I guess he'll be up before sunrise," Leo agreed chuckling and stood up, too. Then he waved his hand and all the gifts appeared under the tree.  
Chris looked at all the boxes and smiled: "Wow, that's a lot."  
Piper grinned: "Yeah..." But then she turned serious. "Don't you dare to look at them before tomorrow morning, or I'll ground you for the rest of your life!" she stated and then had to smile again, when she saw the scared expression on her oldest son's face. She gave him a kiss on his forehead and said: "Good night sweetie. Don't stay up to long..."  
Chris just nodded and said good night to Leo, too, same as Bianca and Victor did. Then the Elder orbed himself and his wife up to their room.  
But as soon as they were gone, Bianca yawned. "God, I guess we should go to bed, too, don't you think?"  
Chris was about to answer when Victor said: "He'll follow you in a minute, there just one little thing we have to talk about.  
Bianca looked at her husband who shrugged, since he had no idea what this was about. Then she nodded and left the room. But not before saying: "Don't let me wait to long, baby..."  
Chris grinned as he followed her with his eyes, then he turned back to his grandfather and asked: "So what do you wanna talk about?"  
Victor's answer was simple: "You."  
"Me?"  
"Yeah, I wanna know what happened today. Because you seem to be so different since you're back from wherever you had been with Michael this afternoon."  
Chris sighed, understanding what his grandpa meant. He remembered the talk they had had earlier. But how should he explain all those things he had seen this day, all those things that had happened? "Well," he started, "I guess I just remembered some... good things, from my past." Victor nodded. So Chris went on: "Well actually it was just one thing, but that must have triggered something inside me, like someone switched on a big neon-sign saying 'Hey buddy it's Christmas for God's sake'... "  
At this Victor had to chuckle. Then he said: "Well as long as it helped you, it's fine."  
Chris nodded: "Yeah..."  
Then they both kept silent for a while before the older one asked: "I don't want to be insensitive but... Do you like to tell me what it was that you remembered?"  
The Elder-witch smiled a 1000-watt-smile: "I remembered how Leo played Santa Clause when I was two and a half years old."  
Victor looked at his grandson with wide opened eyes, since Chris had once told him about 'his' Leo. "You're kidding?"  
"No," Chris replied, "I guess he wasn't as bad as it seemed, at least at the beginning."  
Victor just nodded, what else could he say to this. They again kept silent for a moment, each of them following his own line of thoughts, until Victor stood up, too, saying: "Come on buddy, it's time for bed..."  
Chris nodded. So they turned of the lights and went both up the stairs.  
"What about the cookies?" Victor then asked. "Don't you think we should..."  
"No... those are Santa's cookies..." Chris said and playfully pushed his grandfather to move ahead. On the first floor their ways parted and Chris turned to Victor for one last time this night. "Good night Grandpa," he said. "Merry Christmas."  
"Merry Christmas to you, too, Chris," the man replied with a bright smile, before he moved on to his own room.

& & & & &

It was long after midnight when Cole and Phoebe appeared in the hallway. The empath was giggling uncontrollably and Cole had a hard time holding her upright.  
"Shhhhh..." he whispered to her softly. "Be quiet, you don't want to make Santa angry, do you?"  
"No..." Phoebe answered serious, "but I doubt Santa would because we had some fun, would he?"  
Cole smiled and kissed her. "No... I don't think he would."  
_After Chris and Bianca had been gone, Julian had the nice idea to prepare some mulled wine. And yes, Phoebe definitely had one cup too much. But Julian wasn't doing much better, at least not when they had left...  
Julian lay heavily against Belthazor's shoulder, the cup with the mulled wine clutched tightly in his hand. "Shou know what?" he asked the demon.  
"What?" Belthazor asked back with a smirk. A drunken Julian really was funny.  
"I'm really thankful that shou are here..." And after a deep sigh he pulled the red demon into a hug saying. "Shou're my family... and I love shou sho much..."  
Cole couldn't help giggle, same as his brother did, who was hugging Julian back none the less. Phoebe on the other hand giggled: "Awwwwwww this is so cute..."  
Cole than turned to Belthazor saying: "I guess it's time for bed now, for those two, don't you think?" Because even through Phoebe was still not really drunk, she was already in the state of giggling and he didn't want her to have a hangover the next day.  
The demon nodded: Yeah... give me a moment to get this boy into his room and then I'll shimmer you home."  
_And here they were now, standing in the hallway.  
"We really should go to sleep, Chris and Wyatt will wake us soon enough..." Cole said.  
Phoebe nodded. Then she gave him a kiss before she pulled him into their bedroom.

& & & & &

It was early in the morning when Victor was awakened by a tapping sound... like little feet running over a carpet. Then he heard some swearing from someone that sounded a lot like Paige.  
He smiled and got up. Christmas was finally there.  
He put on his bathrobe and stepped out of the room, just to see an exited Wyatt running in his pj out of the other guestroom, from where he heard laughter.  
When the smiling boy saw his grandpa, he came over to him and hugged his legs. "'s good that you're wake, so I don't have to wake you," he said. Then he smiled even brighter saying: "Santa was here, tonight! The cookies and milk are gone!!!"  
Victor grinned at the boy and ruffled his hair. Then the boy let go of him and ran to the next room he found and the man followed him.  
Meanwhile a sleepy Piper came now out of her room, too. And when she saw her father already awake she asked: "Did Wyatt wake you, too?"  
Victor turned to her and smiled: "Good morning, Piper, merry Christmas. And no, he didn't. I was already up."  
The woman grimaced: "Lucky you, because that little monster jumped on us while we were far away in dreamland..." Victor laughed and then Piper grinned, wishing him merry Christmas, too.  
Meanwhile Wyatt had entered Chris's and Bianca's room and used their bed as trampoline saying again and again: "Wake up... Santa was here, Santa was here!"  
Victor chuckled even more as he saw his one grandson so excited, while his other slowly woke up. But when Chris was fully awake he hugged the boy and said with a huge smile: "Did you wake the others so that we can go and open the gifts?"  
Wyatt nodded.  
Chris looked hurt: "What? You did this without me?" But then he smiled: "Good so we can get the gifts faster..." And he jumped out of bed, too. First he circled his bed to the side where Bianca was just half awake and gave her a very intimate kiss, before wishing her a merry Christmas. Then he took Wyatt's hand and left the room, wishing Victor merry Christmas, too, on his way...  
Bianca meanwhile shook her head, smiling. Then she noticed the man standing in the doorway, and said: "Good morning."  
"Good morning," Victor replied, then asked, "have you ever seen Chris like this?"  
Bianca shook her head: "No... But really, I don't mind, I like him this crazy and excited."  
The man nodded: "Yeah, me too."  
Meanwhile Wyatt reached the stairs, followed by Chris, but they both didn't get far because Cole just came up that moment and grabbed the small boy in his run on the small middle landing of the stairs and lifted him over his shoulder. "Not so fast young man," he said.  
Wyatt giggled, and Chris did, too, saying: "See Wyatt, this is the advantage of being a grown up." And he tried to get passed Cole.  
But the man wouldn't let him. Laughing he let go of Wyatt, who tried to run but ended up in Phoebe's arms. Then he grabbed Chris around his waist with one arm and started tickling him with his free hand, simply guessing he would be as sensitive to that on his sides, as baby Christopher was... and he was right.  
Chris was laughing so hard, trying to get free, but at the same time enjoying this so much. Still he needed air... "Please... Cole... Ok... I... I surrender..."  
Meanwhile Michael and Angela had also climbed out of their beds and they watched this scene played in front of them with amusement. Cole then let go of his nephew and smiled widely while Chris caught his breath. The Elder-witch just shook his head, and started to laugh again, when he saw Wyatt's face who was smiling brightly.  
Then he turned to Cole: "So what? We have to wait here...?"  
Phoebe nodded: "Yes, none of you will go down there as long as not everyone is awake and here..."  
It took about five minutes then everyone was awake. Even Christopher and Hope who were carried by Leo and Bianca respectively were looking excited, through it was probably more because of the chaos and all the people at one, than because of Christmas, since they both were too small to really understand this.  
"Nice necklace," Bianca remarked, spotting the expensive jewelry around Paige neck, who stood by her side.  
The witch-whitelighter smiled pulling Kyle – who looked more than sleepy – into a loving embrace. "Yeah... Got it from my amazing boy," she said before kissing him, making the Phoenix chuckle.  
Finally Cole stepped aside to let the others pass him on the stairs and within a millisecond both Wyatt and Chris were on their way again. They ran into the living room to see what Santa brought and both stopped right at the door as they saw the tree and all the gifts... even more gifts then it had been when Chris went to bed... The most eye catching thing through was a model railway in garden-size which was doing its turns around the tree.  
"Wow," Wyatt breathed out and Chris just nodded, feeling again like he was just a kid. Then both went over to take a closer look at the train. It was lead by a classical steam locomotive and had four wagons in dark purple. It was really beautiful.  
Meanwhile the others reached the living room, too. And when Michael and Kyle saw the train they immediately joined Chris and Wyatt. Angela and Paige meanwhile had the same thought in mind: 'They're just huge kids...'  
"Surprised?" Leo asked as he slowly went over to 'his boys'.  
Chris looked up at him: "More than that, dad. Much more..."  
"Well," this was Piper who had sat down on the sofa, "why don't we open the other gifts then, to see if there are more surprises."  
Wyatt and Chris looked at her with a huge smile, then they both crawled over and pulled out some of the boxes, handing them to the persons they were meant for. And within minutes the whole room was filled with abandoned loops and ripped colorful papers. Then Chris found another gift with his name on it. Smiling he opened it to find...  
"Lollop?" Chris exclaimed as he pulled out a fluffy toy in the shape of a bunny, looking confused at his parents.  
Piper and Leo looked at each other while the rest of the family was kind of confused now. Leo then asked: "So you know this little bunny, do you?"  
Chris nodded: "I... I got one at my first Christmas... This one..."  
Piper smiled: "Thought so..." Then she explained: "I was searching for a gift for mini-you and came across this bunny. And I bought it. But then I thought about you, and that maybe in your timeline you had one, too. So I decided to give this bunny to you and buy for Christopher the cat instead." With this she gestured to the baby who was sitting in the playpen, shaking a fluffy cat by holding it on its tail.  
Chris looked at the bunny again, and then held it close, saying: "Thanks mom... This is great..."  
"You're welcome, sweetie."  
Leo then turned to his father in law and whispered: "Have you eaten Santa's cookies?"  
The man shook his head: "No I haven't. Chris wouldn't let me."  
Leo frowned: "But when I went down tonight to add the last gifts they were gone... That's mysterious."  
Cole, who sat a little in front of them on the ground, turned to them at that moment: "Santa will have eaten them, of course..." Then he grinned, when he saw the confused looks on the others' faces: "Tell Chris they were delicious..."  
Leo laughed at this: "Ok, Santa, I'll tell him."  
Victor meanwhile leaned back in the armchair, smiling. He watched all his family, who were so happy and relaxed and... He couldn't help thinking: 'Yeah... that's probably the best Christmas I've ever had.'

& & & & &

The next day....  
A deep sigh could be heard as another pile of snow flew through the air. Cole stuck the shovel in the snow, then ran his arm over his forehead, letting out another sigh. He rested a few moments more, before picking up the shovel and starting again. "When will it end!?" Cole asked himself, as he wondered for the hundredth time why he had volunteered for this.  
At that moment the door opened and Phoebe peeked her head out. "Cole, honey, why don't you come in now?" She asked.  
"I'm not done!" He replied as he tossed another pile of snow over his shoulder.  
"It's all right, no one is leaving today. At least, not through the front door." She said sympathetically.  
"Can you tell me why we seem to have more snow in our yard then anyone else?" Cole asked annoyed, as he put the shovel down and turned to face Phoebe.  
"We don't. The wind drifted it into the stairs." She said as she leaned against the door and wrapped her arms around herself.  
"The wind! You know, for the amount of wind that's blowing around, you'd think the snowman would start to look a little haggard. Did Tom use magic on it?" Cole said, as he took a look at the snowman Tom and Wyatt had made the other day. Phoebe followed his gaze and saw something colorful flutter in the wind.  
"I don't think he did. Is that my scarf?" She asked, as she recognized the multicolored strip of fabric wound around the snowman's neck.  
"Looks like it..." He started, but stopped when he heard the sound of the snowplow coming down the street again. "Oh no! Not again! I swear, every time I get the driveway cleared, that damn plow comes by and fills it back in! I'm never going to get this done!"  
"Well, why don't you come in and take a break? I'll give you a massage..." Phoebe said enticingly. But Cole didn't seem to notice.  
"Not right now. I still have to finish the stairs and re-do the driveway. You know, there has got to be a better way to do this!" He said as he started shoveling again. "Hey!" He said, spinning around to look at Phoebe again. "Why don't we use a little magic? You know, cast a little spell to displace it. Or make it melt?!"  
"Personal gain, rings any bells?"  
"I knew you'd say that." Cole said, returning to his back breaking work of shoveling the stairs.  
"Cole..."  
"Aunt Phoebe. We've got it from here." Chris said, coming up from behind Phoebe, all dressed up in his winter jacket, gloves, hat, and scarf, and holding a shovel. Leo, similarly dressed, was next to him. Phoebe moved back to let them by. She watched the scene as Chris and Leo started helping Cole shovel.  
"Don't forget, we have the Elder's Christmas party tonight." She reminded them.  
"Yeah!" Chris and Cole said in unison as Leo said, "We won't." Phoebe shook her head at them, then went inside to warm up.  
"Thanks guys. I really appreciate this." Cole said, taking another small break.  
"Any time, Uncle Cole." Chris said, as he patted his uncle on the shoulder.  
As the three men continued to shovel, the wind picked up again. To Cole's ever growing annoyance, it blew more snow into the stairs. But this time he had help. He looked over at Chris, his beloved nephew, and Leo, his brother-in-law, and that warmed his heart... But not his fingers. He realized then, that he'd taken off his gloves for a minute. And as he put them back on, a gust of wind blew open the front door.  
Chris turned back, and stared at the open door for a moment. Then with a quick flick of a finger, the door seemed to close by itself...

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_(Chapter 11 written by Chrissy.W.x and Kirianna Ledräen)_

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**Thank you all for your support. You have know idea how much this means to us. We all wanna wish you a MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!**

**And the next sequel will begin on Friday January 9th 2009. We hope to see you around then again.**


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